A Legacy of Terror, Repression & Regional Instability : 46 Years of Khomeini’s Revolution

Forty-six years ago, Iran’s 1979 revolution replaced a modernising monarchy with a brutal theocracy. The Islamic Republic, founded by Ayatollah Khomeini, did not merely impose a dictatorship over Iran’s people, it unleashed a radical ideology of death and hate across the Middle East. Under the banner of Khomeinism, Iran has waged proxy wars, funded terrorist militias, and infiltrated sovereign states, leaving a trail of destruction from Beirut to Baghdad and beyond.

This revolution was never just about Iran. Khomeini openly called for the exportation of his Islamist doctrine, seeking to destabilize neighbouring countries and establish Shia theocracies in their place. The consequences of this ambition have been disastrous, leading to sectarian violence, regional instability, and the rise of armed groups that act as Iran’s puppets, undermining national security across the Arab world.

Khomeinism: A Doctrine of Death and Repression

Khomeini’s ideology was a distortion of Islam, creating a radical Shia theocracy that does not represent the beliefs of the wider Muslim world. His doctrine of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), which grants absolute power to the Supreme Leader, was rejected by leading Shia scholars such as Lebanon’s Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadhlallah and others. Even within Iran, millions despise this oppressive system that has robbed them of their freedoms for nearly five decades.

Unlike traditional Islamic governance, which emphasizes justice and consultation, Khomeinism is built on absolute control, repression, and violence. It prioritizes expansionism over the well-being of its own citizens, pouring billions into foreign militias while ordinary Iranians suffer under economic hardship and social restrictions. Women are forced into oppressive dress codes, political dissidents are imprisoned or executed, and religious minorities are persecuted, all in the name of an ideology that has nothing to do with real Islam.

But the danger of Khomeinism is not confined to Iran. The Islamic Republic has spent decades exporting its revolution, creating a vast network of terrorist groups and armed proxies that serve as its foot soldiers in an unending war against Arab stability.

Iran’s Proxy Wars and Terror Networks

From the moment Khomeini took power, Iran began building a global web of militant groups, using them to destabilize neighbouring countries and exert influence far beyond its borders. The Islamic Republic’s fingerprints can be found in nearly every major conflict in the region:

            •          Hezbollah in Lebanon: A terrorist militia stronger than the Lebanese army, acting as Iran’s outpost on Israel’s border while holding the Lebanese people hostage to endless war.

            •          Hamas in Gaza: Funded and armed by Iran, Hamas has turned Palestinian suffering into a bargaining chip for Tehran’s regional ambitions.

            •          Hashed al-Shaabi in Iraq: A coalition of sectarian militias that undermines Iraq’s sovereignty and serves Iran’s interests instead of the Iraqi people’s.

            •          The Houthis in Yemen: A radical militia responsible for a devastating war, launching missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE at Iran’s command.

Beyond these well-known groups, Iran has also infiltrated the Gulf states, establishing sleeper cells and radical networks that threaten national security. Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia have all uncovered Iranian-backed plots aimed at inciting sectarian strife and overthrowing legitimate governments.

Bahrain: The 2011 Threat of a Theocratic Takeover

Bahrainis have first-hand experience of the dangers of Khomeinism. The 2011 protests at Pearl Roundabout began as calls for reform but were quickly hijacked by radical elements loyal to Iran’s ideology. Many moderate and liberal Bahrainis, especially women and young people feared that if these extremists succeeded, Bahrain would become another Iran, where personal freedoms would be stripped away, and society would be forced under the iron grip of a theocratic dictatorship.

Women feared being forced into strict dress codes, as in Iran. Young Bahrainis feared the loss of their right to free expression, just as Iranians face brutal crackdowns for speaking out. The experience of modern-day Iran serves as a warning: under Khomeinist rule, there is no freedom, only oppression, violence, and suffering.

The Gulf’s Alternative: Stability, Prosperity, and Freedom

Unlike Iran, the Gulf monarchies respect personal freedoms. In Bahrain and other Gulf states people can worship as they please, dress as they like, and pursue their aspirations without fear of being arrested for their beliefs.

The comparison between life in Iran and life in the Gulf is undeniable. While Iran’s regime squanders its wealth on foreign wars and suppresses its people, the Gulf states invest in their citizens, build modern economies, and embrace progress. Instead of exporting hate and destruction, Gulf countries promote education, innovation, and peace.

This is why no one should sympathize with Khomeinist ideology under the false banner of democracy. Supporting the Islamic Republic or its radical followers is not a matter of religious identity, it is a matter of security and survival. The Gulf states have worked hard to preserve stability, and we must remain vigilant against those who seek to import Iran’s chaos into our societies.

As Iran marks 46 years under the rule of this oppressive regime, we must not forget the suffering of its people. The Iranian people did not choose this path, they were taken hostage by a brutal theocracy that has robbed them of their freedoms, their wealth, and their future.

The hope remains that one day, Iran will be free from the grip of Khomeinism, liberated from the tyranny of the Supreme Leader and his militias. Until that day comes, the Gulf states and their people must remain steadfast in rejecting the radical ideology of the Islamic Republic and defending the freedoms we hold dear.Let Iran’s revolution be a lesson to the world: extremism leads only to ruin, while stability, progress, and true freedom can only thrive when radical ideologies are rejected.