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Ruhollah Khomeini
Historical Figure
Nationality: Iran
Year of Birth: 1902
Year of Death: 1989
Cause of Death: Heart Attack
Religion: Islam
Occupation: Cleric, Religious scholar, Politician, Revolutionary
Spouse: Khadijeh Saqafi (m. 1929–89)
Children: Six
Political Party: Islamic Republican Party
Political Office(s): Supreme Leader/Grand Ayatollah of Iran
Fictional Appearances:

Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (24 September 1902 – 3 June 1989) (Farsi روح الله موسوی خمینی) was an Iranian religious leader and scholar, politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Following the revolution and a national referendum, Khomeini became the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran (a position created in the constitution as the head of the Iranian state) until his death of multiple heart attacks. He was also known internationally as the Grand Ayatollah of Iran, and is usually referred to in English-speaking media as Ayatollah Khomeini.

Khomeini was a marja ("source of emulation") in Twelver Shia Islam, a Mujtahid or faqih (an expert in Sharia), and author of more than 40 books, but he is primarily known for his political activities. He spent more than 15 years in exile for his opposition to the last shah. Between his religious and political activities, Khomeini has been described as the "virtual face of Shia Islam in Western popular culture". Khomeini supported hostage takers during the Iran hostage crisis, issued a fatwa calling for the murder of Anglo-Indian novelist Salman Rushdie, and dubbed the United States as the "Great Satan" and Soviet Union the "Lesser Satan." Khomeini has been criticized for these acts and for human rights violations of Iranians (including his ordering of execution of thousands of political prisoners, war criminals and prisoners of the Iran-Iraq War.)

Ruhollah Khomeini in Alpha and Omega

Alpha and Omega
Set in the Future of OTL
Type of Appearance: Posthumous references

After God deflected a barrage of Iranian missiles away from Israel, the Iranian President was found dead at his desk. In publicly aired photographs of this shocking event, a portrait of the Republic's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, appeared to stare at the mysterious writing on the wall nearby.[1] Sometime after this, at the official debut of Muhammad al-Muntazar, the Islamic Mahdi, another Khomeini portrait failed to dominate the proceeding as intended, being upstaged by the power visible in the eyes of the young man.[2]

Ruhollah Khomeini in "Notes from the General Secretariat"

Shared Universe Story
"Notes from the General Secretariat"
Kelvin R. Throop Stories
Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference


In his written response to the Ayatollah, "Beals Becker" asked him, if God had already told the Ayatollah what was going to happen, why he was bothering Becker.

Becker's valediction was "Merely mortally, Beals Becker."[3]

Ruhollah Khomeini in Worldwar

Worldwar
POD: May 30, 1942
Appearance(s): Second Contact;
Down to Earth
Type of Appearance: Direct
Occupation: Terrorist
Ruhollah Khomeini1964

Ruhollah Khomeini was, for a period in the 1960s, a successful leader of resistance to the Race's rule in the Middle East, until his capture and exile to South America.

When the Race invaded in 1942, the entire Middle East fell quickly, and was recognized as Race territory by the Peace of Cairo in 1944. Khomeini, who'd been living in Iraq (though he himself was from Iran), remained there, making his headquarters in Basra. He began a process of agitation that would disrupt the Race's rule.[4] Khomeini declared that the Race had been created by Satan. When the Colonization Fleet arrived in 1962, Khomeini stepped up his agitation, calling upon his followers to rise up against the males of the Conquest Fleet.[5] In one such event, the Race infantry harshly put down an uprising of disgruntled Muslims.[6]

Khomeini's capture became a top priority to the leaders of the Race.[7] His followers were able to hide him for some time,[8] until a stroke of bad luck landed him in the hands of an infantrymale named Gorppet.[9] By the orders of Fleetlord Atvar (at the suggestion of his human advisor Moishe Russie), Khomeini was transferred to South America on the theory that Khomenini would have little influence on the Spanish-speaking, predominantly Catholic region.[10]

Khomeini's followers remained rebellious even after his capture.[11] Some even crossed the Atlantic in a failed attempt to break him out.[12] Race forces, with the aid of local human constabulary, defeated the attempt.[13]

Ruhollah Khomeini in State of Jefferson

State of Jefferson
POD: Pre-history;
Relevant POD: 1919
Appearance(s): "Tie a Yellow Ribbon"
Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference
Political Office(s): Supreme Leader of Iran

Early in Ayatollah Khomeini's term as Supreme Leader of Iran, the country was embroiled in the Iran hostage crisis (which cost President Jimmy Carter the 1980 election), persecuted various minorities, including refugee yetis, and was finally attacked by Iraq.[14]

See also

References

  1. Alpha and Omega, pgs. 222-223.
  2. Ibid., p. 384.
  3. Analog: The Magazine of Science Fiction and Fact, Vol CV, No 8, August, 1985, pg. 175.
  4. Second Contact, pg. 82.
  5. Ibid.
  6. Ibid., pg. 82-84.
  7. Ibid., e.g., pg. 145.
  8. Ibid., e.g., pg. 147-148.
  9. Down to Earth, pgs. 267-269.
  10. Ibid., pgs. 293-294.
  11. Aftershocks, pg. 125.
  12. Ibid., pg. 394.
  13. Ibid., pg. 395.
  14. https://www.tor.com/2020/01/08/tie-a-yellow-ribbon-harry-turtledove/
Political offices
(OTL)
Preceded by
New title
(Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as Shah)
Supreme Leader/Grand Ayatollah of Iran
1979–1989
Succeeded by
Ali Khamenei
Military offices
(OTL)
Preceded by
Abolhassan Banisadr
Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces
1981–1989
Succeeded by
Ali Khamenei
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