By Humaira Ahad
In a quiet mosque in Jamaran, a small hamlet tucked away in the mountains of northern Tehran, Imam Khomeini would speak in a soft, measured tone, yet his words commanded the full attention of those around him.
There was something unmistakably magnetic about his personality. People who witnessed his presence often described a sense of awe — not just at what he said, but for the serene confidence and commanding presence he so effortlessly exuded.
Though spoken gently, his words sent ripples across the globe, stirring hearts, unsettling tyrants, and awakening a dormant spirit of resistance in oppressed nations.
Imam Khomeini’s name resonated powerfully across nations and generations. For his followers , the founder of the Islamic Revolution was a father figure and the architect of a global resistance spirit.
From Lebanon to Iraq, Palestine to Nigeria, the influence of Imam Khomeini still radiates across continents, embodied in the ethos of resistance that continues to confront oppression, occupation, and imperialism.
Central to his philosophy was the concept of championing the cause of mustazafin (the oppressed) against the mustakbirin (the arrogant powers.)
This vision has profoundly shaped resistance movements worldwide, fuelling their determination to challenge neo-imperialistic and hegemonic powers and assert their dignity and right to freedom.
Ayatollah Khamenei on Imam Khomeini’s resistance legacy
Imam Khomeini’s worthy successor, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, has always underscored the principle of unwavering resistance in his mentor’s political legacy.
In a commemorative speech on the 30th anniversary of the passing of Imam Khomeini in 2019, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution said resistance means “choosing the right path, the correct path, and starting to travel along that path with the obstacles unable to stop the travel.”
“That is how Imam Khomeini was. He had chosen a path and was travelling along that path. In the face of hardships, obstacles, and tyrannical systems, Imam Khomeini manifested his power of resistance to the entire world,” he remarked.
Ayatollah Khamenei explained that Imam Khomeini’s resistance was not reactionary. It was grounded in logic, faith, and strategic wisdom.
“Imam Khomeini had chosen the path of resistance. This choice made by our great leader was backed by reason and logic. It was backed by knowledge and obviously by faith,” Ayatollah Khamenei noted.
“One part of it is that resistance is the natural reaction of every free and dignified nation in the face of intimidation and bullying. Every nation valuing its dignity, identity, and humanity would resist, make a stance and not accept something that is being forced upon it.”
This principled defiance became a national doctrine and a recognised term in international discourse.
“In the international political literature the term ‘resistance in the manner of Imam Khomeini’ has become part of the vocabulary…especially following the liberation of Khorramshahr (from the occupation of West-backed Iraqi Baathist regime,” Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.
Lebanon: The seedbed of resistance axis
Among the most devoted torchbearers of Imam Khomeini’s illustrious legacy is the Hezbollah resistance movement in Lebanon. The movement leaders have expressed profound personal and ideological attachment to the founder of the Islamic Revolution and the principles he exemplified.
In the summer of 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon, young fighters from the newly formed Lebanese resistance front adhered to Imam Khomeini’s call for resistance, fully convinced that fighting was the only option to confront the enemy backed by arrogant powers led by the United States.
“After the Zionist invasion ended, and while Israeli bodies were still being collected, the area began to fill with journalists,” recalled Faud Shukr, the martyred senior Hezbollah commander, in an interview about the early days of resistance inspired by Imam Khomeini.
“They asked us, ‘Who are you?’ I told them, ‘We are the Khomeinists.’ One of them looked puzzled and said, ‘We’ve never heard of that before.’ I replied, ‘From now on, you will hear it a lot.’”
Shukr, a high-ranking figure in Hezbollah’s military leadership and a symbol of resistance in Lebanon was assassinated by the Israeli regime in July last year.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s Secretary General from 1992 until his martyrdom in 2024, shared poignant memories of his exchanges with Imam Khomeini.
Nasrallah spoke with deep reverence about him, describing the Imam not just as a leader, but as a spiritual father whose words and presence profoundly shaped the ethos of the Lebanese Islamic resistance movement.
The former secretary general of Hezbollah stated that Imam Khomeini viewed the path of resistance as profoundly significant and full of promise. Through a crucial meeting with the founder of the Islamic Revolution, the foundation was set for the creation of the Islamic resistance movement in Lebanon, which later emerged as Hezbollah.
“His Eminence said that you must resist despite your humble capabilities and small numbers. Imam Khomeini stated: ‘Start from scratch… Rely on God Almighty. Do not wait for anyone in the world to help you. Rely on yourselves and know that God Almighty is your supporter. I see that victory is engraved on your foreheads,” Sayyed Nasrallah recounted in one of his interviews reflecting on his meeting with Imam Khomeini.
In an interview with an Iranian media outlet, Sayyed Nasrallah recalled, “About two months before Imam Khomeini passed away, he was very ill and rarely met with anyone.
Yet, with a warm smile, he said to me, ‘Tell all the brothers in Hezbollah not to worry. I am with you, and the brothers in the Islamic Republic are all with you. We will always stand by your side.’”
This unbreakable bond between Imam Khomeini and Hezbollah was reflected in the grief that swept Lebanon when the founder of the Islamic Revolution passed away.
As Sayyed Nasrallah later stated, “The sadness and grief felt by the Lebanese was no less intense than that of the Iranians.”
Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the late head of Hezbollah’s executive council embedded Imam Khomeini’s revolutionary ethos at the heart of the movement, emphasizing that Hezbollah’s very identity and strategy “flowed directly from the Imam’s vision.”
In one of his reflections on Imam Khomeini’s influence, Safieddine remarked in an interview, “In Hezbollah, we have a culture based on the path and approach of Imam Khomeini. One aspect of our culture is our love for the Imam. Perhaps we are from a generation that thought it was impossible for life — on an emotional and spiritual level — to continue without the Imam! This is a natural sentiment, and I personally recall that one of the saddest days of my life was the day when he passed away.”
On the day his passing was announced, “time itself seemed to freeze—the streets of Iran overflowed with mourners, each overcome by sorrow,” Safieddin reflected, “I felt as though the world had stopped and come to an end.”
He emphasised that every achievement of the Islamic Republic and every victory of the resistance from Lebanon to the wider Muslim world “can be traced back to a single source: Imam Khomeini.”
In a recent statement on the 35th passing anniversary of Imam Khomeini, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed that “revolutionary Iran under the leadership of Imam Khomeini stood steadfastly alongside the resistance front to liberate Palestine and Holy al-Quds.”
“The late Imam embodied the values of faith and rejected injustice, occupation, and subordination and these principles continue to be a beacon for resistance and liberation movements in West Asia,’ he said.
Palestine: A pledge to liberate al-Quds
In 1968, even before the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini was deeply committed to the Palestinian cause. As a respected cleric, he issued a fatwa (religious decree) asking Muslims to direct their khums and zakat to the cause of Palestine.
According to Sayyed Nasrallah, Imam Khomeini was unwavering in his commitment to the Palestinian cause, “advocating for the liberation of every inch of occupied land and the dismantling of the illegitimate regime.”
“The triumph of Iran’s Islamic Revolution not only inspired fresh hope for the future but also multiplied the courage and resolve of resistance supporters across the region,” he once remarked.
After the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini formalised the commitment by declaring the last Friday of Ramadan as International Quds Day, an annual reminder meant to ensure that the plight of Palestine remains ever-present in the collective conscience of Muslims around the world.
“Imam Khomeini established Quds Day to ensure that Palestine remains alive in the Islamic soul,” the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar once said in one of his speeches.
Over decades, International Quds Day has evolved into a defining ritual of the Axis of Resistance, reinforcing ties between diverse movements — from Lebanon’s Hezbollah to Nigeria’s Islamic Movement to Iraq’s Hashd al-Shabi to Yemen’s Ansarullah, all rallying under the banner of support for al-Quds.
The late political bureau chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, held Imam Khomeini in high regard and recalled how the Imam made al-Quds a central pillar of the revolution and resistance.
“We remember Imam Khomeini, may God have mercy on him, who made al Quds a pillar of the revolution and resistance,” he said in one of his speeches.
Haniyeh emphasised that Imam Khomeini made significant sacrifices for the sake of al-Quds, firmly affirming his unwavering support for the Palestinian cause. His commitment elevated the issue of al Quds to a central position within the broader struggle against oppression and injustice in the region.
Fathi Shaghaghi, a pivotal figure in the Palestinian resistance movement addressed the Palestinian issue through a comprehensive analysis of Imam Khomeini’s philosophy.
In his influential book, “Imam Khomeini (RA), the Alternative Solution,” Shaghaghi examined the late Imam’s vision for resistance and liberation, presenting it as a distinctive ideological framework for resolving the Palestinian cause.
His work has been widely recognized for its insightful exploration of alternative strategies rooted in Imam Khomeini’s teachings, contributing significantly to the intellectual discourse surrounding the struggle for justice in Palestine.
Hamas’ representative in Iran, Khaled Qaddoumi, made an address at an international conference on Imam Khomeini and the issue of Palestine.
He slammed the genocide in Gaza, specifically the attacks on starving Palestinians seeking food at aid centers. pic.twitter.com/GtU246Tzjw
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) June 3, 2025
Inspiration behind Iraqi resistance
The Iraqi resistance movement was significantly shaped by the ideological legacy of Imam Khomeini following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.
His vision of Islamic governance and unwavering opposition to oppression inspired various Iraqi factions to mobilize against Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist regime and, later, against US-led occupation.
Imam Khomeini’s emphasis on defending the oppressed and preserving Islamic identity laid the ideological groundwork for the Iraqi resistance, which played a pivotal role during the 2003 US invasion, and also in dismantling the Daesh takfiri terrorist group.
The late deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), Mahdi al-Muhandis, once stated, “Imam Khomeini is the one who ignited the flame of resistance in the Islamic Ummah, and he is the role model we follow in confronting tyranny and occupation.”
In a 2017 interview with an Iranian media outlet, al-Muhandis affirmed his commitment, saying he was “a soldier of the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini.”
Qais al-Khazali, secretary-general of the Iraqi resistance group Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, part of the PMU, echoed similar sentiments: “Imam Khomeini’s path is a school of resistance and sacrifice, from which we drew the determination to continue the path of jihad against injustice.”
Hadi al-Amiri, head of the Fatah Alliance in Iraq’s parliament and leader of the Badr Organization, also credited Imam Khomeini for instilling the spirit of resistance.
“Imam Khomeini restored dignity and honour to the Islamic Ummah, teaching us that surrender is not an option for the faithful.”
Yemen: A beacon of light for the oppressed
In Yemen, the teachings of Imam Khomeini resonate in the speeches and resilience of the Ansarullah leaders and fighters.
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Ansarullah resistance movement, has consistently credited the Islamic Revolution of Iran and Imam Khomeini as the source of their spirit of resistance.
Al-Houthi has frequently invoked Imam Khomeini’s principles, calling for independence, justice, and unity among the oppressed of the Islamic world.
In their sermons and speeches, Ansarullah leaders frame their struggle as a continuation of the Islamic awakening that began with the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
“Imam Khomeini presented the true model of the Islamic Revolution that unites the Ummah. His culture remains a cornerstone in our fight against global arrogance,” al-Houthi noted in one of his speeches.
He portrays the Islamic Revolution led by Imam Khomeini as a pivotal force that sparked the ongoing struggle against injustice and foreign occupation.
Al-Houthi often underscores Imam Khomeini’s establishment of al Quds Day as a crucial mechanism to keep the Palestinian cause alive in the hearts and minds of Muslims across the world.
The Ansarullah resistance movement has openly expressed its commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause, including opposition to the brutal genocidal unleashed by the Israeli regime on Gaza by carrying out regular military operations in the heart of the occupied territories.
The resistance movement has been conducting military operations aligned with this stance. This commitment is deeply rooted in the ideological framework inspired by Imam Khomeini’s emphasis on resistance against oppression and occupation, thus linking their resistance directly to the revolutionary ideals championed by the founder of the Islamic Revolution.
Nigeria: Islamic Revolution’s reach to Africa
Far from West Asia, in Nigeria, another revolution quietly started taking roots after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. In the early 1980s, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, a young cleric from Zaria, northern Nigeria, read the works of Imam Khomeini that invoked the revolutionary spirit in him.
“The light of Imam Khomeini has reached Nigeria,” Zakzaky later said. “His revolution gave us courage to stand against oppression.”
Inspired by the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Zakzaky founded the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), resisting the oppressive state structures in the African country. He was jailed repeatedly, his followers were massacred, his sons were martyred, but he remained steadfast on the principles taught by Imam Khomeini.
“True independence,” Zakzaky declared, “is achieved through faith, revolution, and resistance.
The African leader affirmed that he and his movement embraced the teachings of Imam Khomeini and introduced them to people in the country, adopting his approach as a guiding framework.
“We follow the path of Imam Khomeini,” Zakzaky emphasised, “because he showed that it is possible to resist imperialism and achieve true independence through faith and revolution.”
Thirty-six years after his passing, Imam Khomeini remains a spiritual axis for the oppressed worldwide. His revolution continues as a guiding light, breathing life into the enduring struggle for justice and dignity.
