From Barabanki To Tehran: How A Village In Uttar Pradesh Shares Roots With Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei

Barabanki: As the world watches with anxiety the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel—with both nations exchanging missile and drone strikes—few know that a small village in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district shares an extraordinary historical connection with Iran’s top leadership.

The village of Kintoor, located in the Sirouli Gauspur tehsil of Barabanki, has a direct link to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and to the current Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is leading Iran through the present conflict. Their lineage traces back to Syed Ahmad Musavi, a religious scholar born in Kintoor in 1790.

According to local historical accounts, Syed Ahmad Musavi was born into a deeply religious family in Kintoor. In 1830, at the age of 40, he embarked on a pilgrimage with the Nawab of Awadh to Iraq. From there, he continued his journey to Iran and eventually settled in the village of Khumein. To keep his Indian roots alive, he adopted the suffix ‘Hindi’ to his name—thus becoming known in Iran as Syed Ahmad Musavi Hindi.

His descendants continued the scholarly and religious tradition, and his grandson Ruhollah Khomeini rose to become one of the most influential leaders in Iranian history. Educated in both Islamic theology and Western philosophy, Khomeini became a vocal critic of the pro-Western monarchy led by the Pahlavi dynasty. His opposition led to his exile, but public discontent against the monarchy grew.

In January 1978, the Iranian regime tried to discredit Khomeini by labeling him an “Indian agent” in a state-run newspaper. The move backfired—triggering massive protests. The monarchy collapsed in early 1979. Khomeini returned from exile on February 1, and within ten days, the Islamic Republic of Iran was declared. He became Iran’s first Supreme Leader. His ideological successor, Ali Khamenei, who comes from the same Musavi lineage, now leads the country.

"We stand with Iran": Voices from Kintoor

The connection to Iran is a matter of pride in Kintoor. Village head Mohammad Akram said, “Our loyalty lies with India, but in the current war, we emotionally stand with Iran. The U.S. and Israel are responsible for civilian deaths, and we condemn that.” Akram emphasized the cultural and spiritual ties between Kintoor and Iran, which, he said, cannot be erased by time or distance.

The village also houses families claiming descent from the same lineage. One such resident, Adil, is said to be a descendant of the Khumeini family, although he declined to comment on the matter.

What began as a journey of faith by a scholar from a remote Indian village has evolved into a geopolitical legacy with global consequences. As tensions rise in West Asia, the quiet fields of Kintoor are once again finding themselves part of a much larger, global narrative—reminding the world that history often runs deeper than headlines.

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