During the Iranian Revolution (1978–79) the Iranian Shiʿi cleric Ruhollah Khomeini gained widespread support as guardian of the revolution upon his return to Iran from exile. A referendum led to the establishment of an Islamic republic based on his interpretation of velāyat-e faqīh, according to which a widely esteemed expert in Islamic law (faqīh) should oversee just governance. Khomeini was named rahbar (supreme leader) of Iran.
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