A modified form of this Velayat-e Faqih system was adopted after Imam Khomeini and his followers took power, and he became the Islamic Republic's first "Guardian" or Grand Leader. In the meantime, however, Imam Khomeini was careful not to publicize his ideas for clerical rule outside of his Islamic network of opposition to the Shah which he worked to build and strengthen over the next decade.
A yayin wannan ganawa, Imam ya ba da fatawar wajibcin kebance wani sashi na zakka da ba da shi ga 'yan gwagwarmayar Palastinu. A farko-farkon shekarar 1969 rikicin da ke tsakanin gwamnatin Shah da gwamnatin Ba'athawa ta Iraki kan iyakan kasashen biyu na ruwa ya tsananta. Hakan ya sanya gwamnatin Iraki korar adadi mai yawa na Iraniyawa da ke zaune a kasar, kamar yadda kuma gwamnatin ta yi kokarin amfani da irin adawan da Imam yake yi wa gwamnatin Shah don cimma manufarta.