Although the news that, the Mehrabad Airport was going to be closed, the military officials were going to stage a coup, and the Imam’s airplane was going to be exploded was rumored, Imam Khomeini decided to return to his homeland. The Shah’s regime tried every trick up their sleeve to stop the Imam from returning but they were unsuccessful, and so on the 1stof February 1979 the Imam entered Iranian soil.
Imam comming down the airoplan staircase, at Mehrabad airport, in TeharnThis wise decision and magnificent event, was thought out by the same man who decided the Imam should go to Paris. Ahmad was the man behind these decisions as he was the Imam’s advisor, the Imam’s companion, and the Imam’s supporter. As he did many times before, he made sure the necessary provisions for the trip were provided, arranged for the Imam to change his airplane, and selected those who would be travelling with the Imam. He did all this to ensure the Imam’s safe arrival to Tehran and the success of the revolution.
At last fourteen years of hardship had come to an end. The years of struggle, fear and exile were no more and a great Shi’a victory awaited the Imam, his family and the Iranian people. Finally the Pharaoh of Iran was defeated. Ahmad accompanied his father through thick and thin, and he too came to see how the seed he and his father had planted had grown into a tree with unbreakable roots.
On the 1st of February 1979 at precisely 1pm, Imam Khomeini chose to stay in the Alavi and Refah School of Tehran. This place became the center, where the revolution’s affairs during its most momentous days until March of the same year, were dealt with. In March Imam Khomeini along with his trustworthy son and advisor, Ahmad, left for Qom. It was in this not so extravagant place that the key decisions which ensured the successful continuation of the revolution, defeated the Shah’s military and overturned the US military coup, were made. A few days later Imam Khomeini set up the revolution’s provisional government. He also issued an order prohibiting the illegal ministers of the Shah from going into the ministries.
Meeting the public at Alavi SchoolIt was in this very school that tens of thousands people rushed to see the Imam. On the 10th of February 1979 the Imam issued a statement from this school. Imam Khomeini asked the people to pour into the streets and ignore the martial law. This frightened America and their officials in Iran and they classed the situation in Iran as highly dangerous. Thus the Americans and those who supported the Pahlavi regime left Iran in a hurry. On the 11th of February 1979 the victory of the Islamic revolution was announced worldwide. The White House referred to this victory as, an earthquake which has shaken the pillars of existence of the West and Israel.
Sayyid Ahmad and Imam Khomeini in Qom (left to right)Imam Khomeini and Hajj Sayyid Ahmad left for Qom on the 1st of March. Ahmad instantly got working and he made sure that the Imam was connected to all the regions of Iran and that his words would be instantaneously heard around the world. He was in charge of organizing the visits made by different groups of people and never left the Imam’s side unless he was running errands for the Imam. Ahmad was a role-model in terms of his management skills and those close to him or who worked with him spoke highly of these skills.
In 1980 the Imam had to be rushed to the Tehran Heart Hospital due to some problems with his heart. Since the Imam was not very well he was advised to stay in Tehran. This was so that if the Imam had any other health problems, it would be easy to get to the hospital as it would be close to him. Thus the Imam’s family also moved to Tehran.