Leader Pays Tribute to Imam Khomeini Ahead of Revolution Anniversary
IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK
Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei visited the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini on Saturday morning to commemorate the late founder of Islamic Republic as well as martyrs of the 1979 Revolution.
On the occasion of the of the 41st anniversary of the victory of Islamic Revolution in 1979, Ayatollah Khamenei paid tribute to the late founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in his mausoleum in southern Tehran.
During the visit, the Leader also paid homage to the martyrs of the Hafte Tir bombing and the Iranian Prime Minister’s office bombing, both of which were carried out by the MKO terrorist group in 1981.
The office of Mohammad Javad Bahonar, Prime Minister of Iran, was bombed on 30 August 1981 by the MKO, killing Bahonar, President Mohammad Ali Rajai, and six other Iranian government officials.
The briefcase bombing came two months after the Hafte Tir bombing, which killed over seventy senior Iranian officials, including Chief Justice Mohammad Beheshti, then Iran’s second-highest official.
Nationwide ceremonies kicked off at 9:33 a.m. local time (0603 GMT), marking the exact time when Imam Khomeini landed in the Iranian capital.
A special public ceremony is also held at the Imam Khomeini mausoleum, with a host of senior state and military officials as well as thousands of people from all walks of life in attendance.
Imam Khomeini’s return to the country ultimately resulted in the overthrow of the shah, Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi.
Despite being contrary to the wishes of Iran’s rulers at the time, the Imam’s return, after a 15-year exile, was made possible due to the sheer abundance of popular support for the revolutionary leader among the masses.
Iran has ever-since commemorated the events with 10-Day Dawn festivities, which culminate in nationwide rallies on February 11, marking the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
