Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician who played a crucial role in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. He became the leader of Iran after the overthrow of the Pahlavi monarchy, establishing the Islamic Republic and implementing a theocratic government based on Islamic law. Khomeini was born on September 24, 1902, in Khomein, Iran. He was a prominent Shia cleric and spent years in exile before returning to Iran to lead the revolution. His leadership significantly changed Iran's political landscape, influencing both domestic policies and international relations.