The Islamic Republic of Iran is a revolutionary theocratic totalitarian state formed in 1979 following the overthrow of the last Shah (monarch), Muhammad Reza Pahlavi. Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was the leader of the revolution and then of the Islamic Republic until his death in 1989. It was Ayatollah Khomeini who created the Islamic theology of suicide bombing which has engulfed the world. Iran at one time was one of America's strongest allies in the Middle East. Tehran was held in high esteem, and maintained friendly relations throughout the region, including Israel. Under the Shah, Iran was the first Muslim Nation to recognize the State of Israel. The Rise of the Islamic Republic of Iran is an account of how one man-Ayatollah Khomeini-changed the face of the Nation of Iran. This is an exploration of the ascent of Khomeini, who refashioned the state of Iran with his radical religious ideology, into a leader of international terrorism.