Ayatollah Khomeini was born Sayyed Ruhollah Mustafavi Khomeini, 24 September 1902 in Khomein, Central Iran (then Persia), and died 3 June 1989) (Persian: روح الله موسوی خمینی). He was also known as 'Imam Khomeini'. Khomein was the political leader of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.