Man Of The Year: Portrait of an Ascetic Despot

An earthly sense of justice, an all-embracing code of behavior

An earthy sense of justice, an all-embracing code of behavior

There is no room for play in Islam. It is deadly serious about everything.

Khomeini in speech at Qum

All Western governments are just thieves. Nothing but evil comes from them.

Khomeini counseling supporters

The nation voted for the Islamic Republic, and everyone should obey. If you do not obey, you will be annihilated.

Khomeini denouncing opponents

Arogant and pious. Stubborn and vengeful. Humorless and inflexible. Ascetic and power hungry. These are some of the adjectives that experts on Iran use to describe...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!