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The Iranians marked the death of Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini this week, better known as Ayatollah Khomeini. Thirty years after his death, what legacy did the first Iranian supreme leader leave?
The man who provoked the Iranian revolution and established the Islamic Republic of Iran died on June 3, 1989, ten years after establishing the country's theocracy and ending the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Since his death 30 years ago, Khomeini's legacy is still palpable, especially since his system of government remains intact.
Durability
Interpretations of what Khomeini left and what he did for the country will be varied.
But one thing that many people can understand is the sustainability of the Islamic Republic, which has lived well beyond the expectations of all, according to Sanam Vakil, senior researcher at Chatham House, where she leads the Future Dynamics project. the Gulf and Iran. Forum.
Khomeini set up a system, called velayat-e faqihit gives power to Shia clerics. The concept has existed as a theory for more than a thousand years, says Seyed Mohamed Marandi, professor of political science at the University of Tehran.
"But what Khomeini did was … help formulate a constitution in which this theoretical concept could be put into practice," adds Marandi.
In this system, the highest political figure in the country is also a religious authority, thus linking religion and state.
The other dimension of system sustainability is its dependence on institutions rather than individuals.
"There were elites who came and went," said Vakil. Of course, some are still present, like the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, in power for 30 years, but it is a system that has strong institutions and without these institutions. strong institutions, I do not think the Islamic Republic would be so resilient. "
Resistance
Khomeini's Iran has also maintained its presence on the world stage, resisting efforts to overthrow it.
"We must keep in mind that almost immediately after the revolution – and even during the revolution – the Americans and their allies constantly tried to undermine it. They then supported Saddam Hussein in an eight-year-long war, "says Marandi.
The Iran-Iraq war, which erupted in 1980, claimed more than 500,000 lives on the Iranian side, although no official figures were provided by the two countries. But the war soon dragged Iran into a conflict right after the start of its new republic.
The war "played a decisive role in the consolidation of the revolution" and helped to create "a mentality of resistance within the political establishment", according to Vakil, one of the main reasons for the survival of the Islamic Republic.
It also helped to prevent Iran from becoming a "dependent country", heavily influenced by the United States and the United Kingdom, and let the Iranians make decisions in Tehran, said Marandi.
Social justice
Before the 1979 revolution, literacy rates were quite low, especially for those living in traditional or non-urban areas.
While Iran under the Shah was more Western in its thinking, the bulk of opportunities were for those who could afford it, hence the growing division between economic clbades.
"The majority of Iranians, especially women, were uneducated," says Marandi. "Now you have a universal education. All this was established after the revolution. "
Rates of literacy have increased since the revolution. Khomeini's goal is to introduce the universal education of women and men, as well as access to health through elements of social justice.
Under the Shah, efforts have also been made to encourage women to go to school, says Mehdi Zakerian, an badistant professor of human rights at Azad Islamic University in Tehran. But this effort was not extended to traditional families who were less inclined to send their daughters to school.
"But after the revolution, the Islamic government changed the family tradition. Many Iranian families now send their daughters to universities in the most remote cities of Iran, "Zakerian adds.
In addition to creating a social system, Khomeini sought to eliminate corruption, Iran's key disease under the Shah.
"He promised the Iranian people to end the corruption … of having a good government with an Islamic regime. But today, there are many cases of corruption in the courts, "laments Zakerian.
And despite the sustainability of the Islamic Republic, Marandi also points out that "in recent decades, some elites have forgotten the legacy of social justice."
The sanctions may not help the situation, but the Iranians continue to face an unemployment rate of nearly 12%, along with soaring prices and corruption, causing many problems daily. In response, there have been general strikes and daily demonstrations against the growing difficulties.
Cracks appear?
Since Khamenei took over from Khomeini 30 years ago, the system has failed to deliver the promise of better economic opportunities and social justice, Vakil said.
The increasing growth of the educated population is accompanied by an inevitable shift in priorities and, ultimately, ideology.
"Revolutionary values and religious ideology are also declining," added the Chatham House badyst. "The population is much more cynical after decades of having their leaders use religion for political purposes."
This repression can be seen through popular online movements, especially women now against Islamic law, or young people who are "less respectful of an ideology that they view as repressive and frustrating," adds Vakil.
In addition, a division is being dug between conservatives and reformist leaders, said Clement Therme, research fellow on Iran at the Institute for Strategic Studies.
"Since the green movement of 2009, most Reformers have been excluded from the system because they felt that it could not survive in its original form, under Khomeini, and that major reforms would guarantee the survival of the party." State, "adds Therme.
When going back to Khomeini's legacy, the real determining factor of this new Iran will be what the new generation will do.
Growing access to social media and online resources means that young people may also wish to see a change, which is why Khomeini's legacy is also disputed.
"His reputation and ideals are more reflective of the pragmatism of politics in Iran today," adds Vakil.
She notes that the real test of change and sustainability of the Islamic Republic's legacy will be after Khamenei's departure. Only then will we be able to see whether Iran will remain "a revolutionary idea of Khomeini … or an idea that will lead to a reform of the Islamic Republic".
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