People within close circle of Imam Khomeini say that the Islamic movement had gained momentum and was on its peak during the month of Muharram which coincided with Imam’s stay in the French city of Nofel Lashato.
Once a devotee from Tehran dialed the Imam’s office number there and the voices of people chanting of Allah o Akhar “God is great” mingled with shooting by Shah regime forces could be clearly heard.
So we recorded the voices and took it for Imam. He was busy in reciting Ashura supplication and saying prayers. Imam listened all carefully what was happening in Iran.
The events unfolding prior to the victory of the Revolution show that Imam Khomeini successfully managed to monitor the Islamic movement while in exile.
The Shah regime had the Imam exiled from Iraq. He thereafter traveled to Paris and settled in the suburb of Neauphle-le-Chateau.
The Shah had hoped that this would serve to minimize contact between the Imam and his followers in Iran.
On the contrary, the whole world soon knew about Imam Khomeini during his stay in Paris and his vision of an Islamic system based upon the teachings of the Qur’an and the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them).
(Extracted from book the practical behavior and conduct of Imam Khomeini, Vol. 3, p. 41, a memoir by the late Hojatoleslam and Ferdowsi Pour)
Memoirs about imam Khomeini