How did the Soviet Union end?

The collapse of the Soviet Union made the bipolar world disappear, a world which through the last decades had decided about the political destiny of countries. This situation eased the reliance on culture to determine different layers of foreign policies in a government-nation level by the international players. On the other hand, it confirmed that along with the cultural role of politicians, we shouldn't forget that not seeing the effects of religious features, believes and traditions of nations on structuring a culture would cause disasters.

Gorbachev’s response to Imam Khomeini:

''Your message has deep concerns about the fate of mankind''

On January 4th 1989 Imam Khomeini’s message was delivered to Gorbachev by his selected delegations who were Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, Mohammad Javad Larijani and Mrs. Marzieh Hadidehchi Dabbaq. Eight weeks later Gorbachev delivered his response to Imam Khomeini by the then Soviet foreign minister, Edward Shevardnadze in Tehran. Gorbachev saw a great value to Imam’s message in his response, but it was clear that he had not understood the spiritual dimensions of Imam’s message. Because he had first tried to describe his activities for promoting political freedom in the Soviet Union and then he had described the achievements of a communist economic from 1917 till now. In the meeting between Eduard Shevardnadze, those days Soviet foreign minister, and Imam Khomeini, Ali Akbar Velayati, those days Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Larijani, deputy of the foreign minister and a member of the delegation, and Alireza Nobari, then the Iranian ambassador to the Soviet Union were also present.

Gorbachev and Imam Khomeini

Gorbachev: “I’m sorry! I should have listened to Imam’s message”

In 1999, on the anniversary of the death of Imam Khomeini’s demise, in an interview with the IRIB News Agency in Moscow, Gorbachev regretted ignoring the Imam’s warnings three years before the collapse of the Soviet Union and said: “I think Imam Khomeini’s message addressed all the ages throughout history.” He also added: “When I received this message, I felt the person who wrote it was thoughtful and cared about the situation of the world. By studying the letter, I realized that he was someone who was worried about the world and wanted me to understand more about the Islamic revolution.”

The Imam’s historical message to Mikhail Gorbachev

The Imam’s prediction that Communism will fall

In 1989, Imam Khomeini sent a message to Gorbachev inviting him to accept Islam and warning him of the fall of the Soviet Union and the Communist way of thought. The Imam talked of the inability of fulfilling spiritual needs by material things.

A local conference held in Gilan

The ‘Imam Khomeini’s views’ conference

Hujjat Allah Taqavi announced that a conference would be held on the 17th of December in Gilan. Taqavi is the head of this cultural and research conference, which is to do with the social, political and cultural views of Imam Khomeini.

Revolutions and Iran

Jacque Shartier: “The Iranian Islamic revolution defies world equations”

Nowadays politics has turned into a tool which is used to dominate society and people. However the Islamic revolution which was led by Imam Khomeini and is based on the concept of Wilayat-e-Fagih, is a revolution which defies the usual equations of politics in the world.

Muharram

Muharram and Ashura

Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (as), the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad (saw) and the third Imam and leader of the Shi'a. Imam Hussein's (as) martyrdom is a sad day for all Muslims especially the Shi'a, who mourn the massacre of their "Master of Martyrs" and his family in Karbala in 61AH/680CE.

The auspicious feast of Ghadeer Khumm

Wilayah and government, message of Ghadeer

The issue of Ghadir is not an event befallen the Imam. In fact, Ghadir is something the Imam created. This noble personality and fountainhead of sound human qualities prompted the Ghadeer to take place. Ghadeer has no value for the Imam. That which is valuable is the Imam himself. It has been known to Almighty God that after the Messenger of Allah there is no one among men who could implement justice in a pleasing and efficient manner. He commissioned the Messenger of Allah to appoint this person who had the power to implement justice in its true sense in the society and have a divine government.