House Of Iran's 1st Supreme Leader That Stands Bereft Of Grandeur In Tehran

A narrow lane leads to a modest single-story house in Tehran that was once the abode of Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini.

Khomeini spearheaded the Islamic Revolution in Iran and went on to become the first Supreme Leader in 1979. His successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is the current Supreme Leader of Iran, the highest political and religious position in the country.

The former Iranian leader's house in the Husayniyeh Jamaran area stands bereft of any grandeur, in stark contrast to the house of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former ruler who inclined towards the West and was deposed by Khomenei.

This building belonged to Hujjal al-Islam Sayyid Mahdi Imam Jamah, who had offered the building to Imam Khomenei for free, as read a plaque outside the house. But a humble Khamenei still paid him a thousand riyals.

A narrow entrance opens to a courtyard where a portrait of Khomenei hangs. There are two rooms: one of which is a sitting room boasting a small sofa and white curtains. A microphone still rests on the table next to it. At this house known which stood out for its Egyptian decorations, Imam Khomenei received government officials as well as other visitors.

Khomenei's wife, Khadijeh Saqafi, also lived here with him.

A temporary passage was built to connect the house with the Husayniyeh, a hall where he met his supporters and gave sermons. The walls of the hall lacked any grandeur, with it being a popular belief that the Imam never liked spending people's money on himself.

Supporters reportedly had offered to put tiles there, but he had refused.

Iran-Israel Conflict

The house is back in focus as Imam Khomenei's successor Ali Khamenei leads Iran in a bitter conflict with Israel to push its nuclear ambition.

"The Iranian nation will stand firmly against any imposed war, just as it always has. The Iranian nation also firmly stands against any imposed peace. The Iranian nation will not capitulate to anyone in the face of coercion," he declared in a televised speech yesterday.

His assertion came as Iran and Israel traded missiles for the seventh straight day, threatening to worsen the Middle East crisis.

Israel sees Iran as an existential threat and has vowed not to allow Iran to achieve nuclear power. Iran, however, insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. However, in recent years, Tehran has been enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, which is not far from weapons-grade levels of 90%.