Mostafa Khomeini

Mostafa Khomeini was an Iranian cleric and the eldest son of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Born in Qom on 12 December 1930, he followed his father into the clerical establishment and accompanied him into exile in Najaf, Iraq, from October 1965. He was married to Masoumeh Haeri Yazdi and had three children, including Hussein Khomeini.

Mostafa died on 23 October 1977 in Najaf at the age of 46. Iraqi and Iranian official sources attributed his death to a heart attack, but widespread suspicion fell on SAVAK, the Shah's secret police, with reports placing SAVAK agents at the scene. No autopsy was conducted — his father objected to one — leaving the cause of death unresolved. Ruhollah Khomeini later described the death as a "divine secret" and a blessing because of the political energy it released.

Mostafa's death proved a significant catalyst for the Iranian Revolution. Memorial services held across Iranian cities rapidly transformed into nationwide protests against the Pahlavi monarchy. At a prominent Tehran memorial, a presiding cleric publicly invoked Khomeini's name — breaking a 14-year taboo — triggering chants of "Allahu Akbar" from the crowd. The wave of mourning ceremonies helped re-mobilize opposition networks and convinced Ruhollah Khomeini that revolution was closer than ever. He is the brother of Ahmad Khomeini.