Khadijeh Saqafi

Saqafi was born in in Tehran, the daughter of Hajj Mirza Mohammad Thaqafi-e Tehrani, a respected cleric and merchant. ==Marriage and later years==

Saqafi married 29-year-old Ruhollah Khomeini in 1929 or 1931. They had seven children together, although only five survived childhood. Their son Mostafa died in Iraq in 1977 while in exile, while their second son Ahmad died of cardiac arrest in 1995. Throughout their marriage, Saqafi largely stayed out of the public eye, although she was described as being a strong supporter of her husband's opposition to the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran, referred to Saqafi as the "closest and most patient" supporter of her husband. ==Death==

Saqafi died in Tehran on 21 March 2009 aged 93, following a long illness. Thousands attended her funeral at the University of Tehran, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Saqafi was buried next to her husband and son at his mausoleum in Behesht-e Zahra. ==References==