Ayatollah Khomeini: During the 1970s, the Shah faced growing opposition led by the religious leader,
Ayatollah Khomeini. In 1979, Khomeini, with the support of Islamic fundamentalists, overthrew the Shah
in an Islamic Revolution. The new government took an official anti-American stance and Iran became an
Islamic republic. The government changed from a monarchy [ruled by a king] to a theocracy (ruled by
religious law). Khomeini developed a new constitution in which the people would elect a president.
However, the most powerful leader in Iran, even more powerful than the president, was the Supreme
Leader. The Supreme Leader is a powerful post filled by a Muslim official and has both political and
religious control over the nation.
2. How did the Iranian government change after the Revolution?