Official ceremony to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the departure of the Father of the Islamic Revolution the late Imam Khomeini kicked off at his mausoleum, southern Tehran, in the presence of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
This year’s ceremonies coincide with the holy month of Ramadan with hundreds of thousands of fasting Iranian Muslims descending on Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum south of the capital city Tehran.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei is addressing this year’s ceremony at Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum.
Also at the ceremony are present Iranian president Hassan Rouhani, Iranian judiciary chief Sadegh Larijani, parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late founder of the Islamic Republic.
Imam Khomeini was the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last king of the country.
Imam Khomeini, the world Muslim leader, philosopher, revolutionary, and politician who was called 'the Man of the Year in 1979' by American news magazine TIME for his international influence.
He passed away on June 3, 1989, at the age of 89 and millions of Iranians mourned his death.
Iranians and lovers of the late Imam worldwide mark his departure anniversary each year by holding various mourning ceremonies. The occasion is marked in other countries by ceremonies organized by Iran's embassies.