In February, 1979, which national leader said, "This is the first day of the government of God."

On February 1, 1979, after more than 14 years in exile, Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran to a triumphant welcome from millions of supporters. It was in this supercharged atmosphere that he made his powerful declaration, proclaiming the dawn of a new era. The phrase "the government of God" was not merely symbolic; it was a literal statement of intent to replace the secular, Western-backed monarchy of the recently departed Shah with a state governed by Islamic law and clerical authority.

This historic moment was the climax of the Iranian Revolution. For months, massive nationwide protests had paralyzed the country, ultimately forcing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to flee in January 1979. From his exile in France, Khomeini had orchestrated the opposition, becoming the undisputed spiritual and political leader of the movement. His return marked the definitive victory of the revolutionaries and the beginning of a fundamental transformation of Iranian society.

Within two months of his return, a national referendum was held, and Iran was officially voted an Islamic Republic. Khomeini was installed as the country's first Supreme Leader, a position created to ensure that the new government would adhere to his vision of Islamic jurisprudence. His declaration on that February day was the promise of a new political and religious order, one that would dramatically reshape Iran and its relationship with the rest of the world for decades to come.