The term Ayatollah is a title given to a high-ranking Shia Muslim cleric. Ali is the first Imam of Shia Islam, and IRAN is the country in which the Ayatollahs are based. The SHAH was the former ruler of IRAN before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, when Ayatollah KHOMEINI became the Supreme Leader of the country. KHOMEINI was a theocrat, meaning he believed in a government based on religious principles. An Imam is a leader of a mosque, and Tehran is the capital of IRAN. Islam is the religion practiced by the majority of Iranians, and the Ayatollahs are seen as spiritual leaders of the faith. Although the Ayatollahs are religious figures, they also have a SECULAR role in IRANIAN politics. IRANIAN citizens look to the Ayatollahs for guidance in both religious and political matters.