It has been recalled through a series of memoirs Imam Khomeini’s house in Iraq was under siege by Iraqi security forces in late August 1978, The Iraqi Ba’ath party forces would prevent people from visiting him.
The situation led Imam Khomeini to decide to leave, which he did in the very October. The book “Imam Khomeini’s Journey to Paris until Return to Iran” published by the Islamic Revolution Documents Center, Imam Khomeini’s son Ahmad related the journey.
Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini says: The reason why Imam left for Paris was to be sought in what happened in a few months before in Iran. As the Iranian nation’s demonstrations heightened, the governments of Iran and Iraq during their meetings in Baghdad decided that Imam’s activities were not only dangerous for Iran, but also so for Iraq. The Iraqi people’s attention to Imam and the zest of Iranian pilgrims was not as small as for the Iraqi government to overlook. Therefore, they called Mr. Doaei in order to clearly convey to Imam the standpoint of the revolution council of Iraq. The standpoint included such points as:
1. You can stay in Iraq and live your normal life, but abstain from political activities which mar Iran and Iraq’s relations. 2. If you continue your political work, you should leave Iraq.
Imam’s decision was clear. He turned to me and said: Fetch my passport and yours. I did so. As Imam allowed, we told about his decision to leave for Kuwait to our close friends in Najaf, 7 or 8 of the most insiders. Right away two invitations were sent to Imam and me from our friends in Kuwait. And later from there, Imam departed for the French capital Paris to pursue the struggle for the revolution.
A memoirs by Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini, Imam’s dear son