Ahmad Khomeini
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Khomeini was the younger son of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
. His wife is Fatemeh Soltani Tabatabai, daughter of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Soltani Tabatabai Borujerdi and niece of Imam Musa Sadr, the Shī‘ah religious leader of Libanon.
Ahmad Khomeini was close to his father, the leader of the Iranian revolution
of 1979. He helped coordinate affairs during and after the Islamic Revolution, in Khomeini's office in Paris
and subsequent to the ayatollah's return to Iran in February 1979. He served as his father's chief of staff until his father's death in 1989. Upon failing to succeed his father as the country's leader in a power struggle with Hashemi Rafsanjani, he became the overseer of the Mausoleum of Khomeini
and was later named to the Supreme National Security Council
.
Khomeini reportedly died of a heart attack in 1995 at the age of 49. However, there have long been rumors that his death was not natural causes, and that its occurrence one month after a blunt speech criticizing the regime was not a coincidence. A month after his death rioters accused Rasfanjani of being behind Khomeini's death, and rumors spread that he died of cyanide
poisoning. According to one-time Ansar-e Hezbollah member Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
, intelligence operative Saeed Emami
confessed that Ahmad Khomeini was eliminated by a group of highly-placed officials who decided that Khomeini's enmity towards one-time ally Ali Khamenei
put him beyond the pale of mercy. These men included former Intelligence Ministers Gholamhosein Mohseni-Ejeh'i (2005-2009) and Ali Fallahian
(1989-1997), Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
, and Asadollah Badamchian.
Ahmad Khomeini is entombed next to his father in a grand shrine south of Tehran
, where his son, Hassan Khomeini
, is the superintendent.
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
. His wife is Fatemeh Soltani Tabatabai, daughter of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Soltani Tabatabai Borujerdi and niece of Imam Musa Sadr, the Shī‘ah religious leader of Libanon.
Ahmad Khomeini was close to his father, the leader of the Iranian revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
of 1979. He helped coordinate affairs during and after the Islamic Revolution, in Khomeini's office in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and subsequent to the ayatollah's return to Iran in February 1979. He served as his father's chief of staff until his father's death in 1989. Upon failing to succeed his father as the country's leader in a power struggle with Hashemi Rafsanjani, he became the overseer of the Mausoleum of Khomeini
Mausoleum of Khomeini
The Mausoleum of Ayatollah Khomeini houses the tomb of Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini and Ahmad Khomeini, his second son who died in 1995. It is located to the south of Tehran in the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery. Construction commenced in 1989 following Khomeini's death on June 3 of that year...
and was later named to the Supreme National Security Council
Supreme National Security Council
Supreme National Security Council is the national security council of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the current secretary of which is Saeed Jalili. This institution was founded during the 1989 revision of the constitution...
.
Khomeini reportedly died of a heart attack in 1995 at the age of 49. However, there have long been rumors that his death was not natural causes, and that its occurrence one month after a blunt speech criticizing the regime was not a coincidence. A month after his death rioters accused Rasfanjani of being behind Khomeini's death, and rumors spread that he died of cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
poisoning. According to one-time Ansar-e Hezbollah member Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
Amir Farshad Ebrahimi is a former member of Quds Force of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and is currently a peace and human rights activist living in Germany.-Paramilitary career:...
, intelligence operative Saeed Emami
Saeed Emami
Saeed Emami was the Iranian deputy minister of intelligence under Ali Fallahian, and an intelligence officer under Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi. The Islamic government accused him of having independently organized the assassinations of dissidents shortly after he allegedly committing...
confessed that Ahmad Khomeini was eliminated by a group of highly-placed officials who decided that Khomeini's enmity towards one-time ally Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
put him beyond the pale of mercy. These men included former Intelligence Ministers Gholamhosein Mohseni-Ejeh'i (2005-2009) and Ali Fallahian
Ali Fallahian
Hojatoleslam Ali Fallahian, is an Iranian politician and cleric. He has served as a member of the 3rd Assembly of Experts of the IRI and as the Minister of Intelligence of Islamic Republic of Iran in cabinet of President Hashemi Rafsanjani...
(1989-1997), Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi is a hardline Iranian Twelver Shi'i cleric and politician who is widely seen as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's spiritual advisor. He is also a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader, where he heads...
, and Asadollah Badamchian.
Ahmad Khomeini is entombed next to his father in a grand shrine south of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, where his son, Hassan Khomeini
Hassan Khomeini
Seyyed Hassan Khomeini is a "mid-ranking" Iranian cleric. He is the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, and son of the late Hojat-Ol Eslam Ahmad Khomeini...
, is the superintendent.