First Imam Khomeini Biennial Prize Honors Figures From 14 Countries

TEHRAN — Iran announced the recipients of the first Imam Khomeini Global Biennial Prize, an international award recognizing figures and institutions aligned with the ideological, political and religious legacy of the founder of the Islamic Republic. 

The ceremony was held in Tehran with the participation of senior Iranian officials and foreign guests from 14 countries.
Among those in attendance were President Masoud Pezeshkian; Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the late Imam Khomeini; Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Abbas Salehi; and government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, alongside religious figures and political representatives from across the region and beyond.
The top theoretical honor was awarded to Grand Ayatollah Abdullah Javadi Amoli, a prominent Shia scholar, while Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, was named the leading figure in the practical domain.
Several other awards were presented across thematic categories, reflecting the prize’s emphasis on revolutionary thought, social justice and resistance to Western influence. 
Sheikh Isa Qassim, a Bahraini cleric, was honored for advocacy of justice and human dignity, while Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, the Nigerian Shia leader, was recognized for his work on populism and service to marginalized communities.
Additional honorees included Rashid bin Issa for promoting Imam Khomeini’s discourse; Fatemeh Tabatabai and Mobina Mogher for contributions to ethics, mysticism and spirituality; and Muhammad Azmi Abdulhamid for opposition to Zionism and racism. Abdullah Mana and Yahya Fawzi were recognized for advancing the concept of Islamic progress and a “new Islamic civilization.”
The awards also highlighted interfaith and international dimensions. Sheikh Ghazi was cited for efforts toward Islamic unity, while Russian political figure Sergey Baburin received recognition for promoting what organizers described as “just peace and collective security.”
Media and institutional honors went to Al-Manar Television, represented by Ibrahim Farhat; the Martyr Morteza Motahhari Foundation, represented by Miftah Fawzi; the Imam Khomeini Institute in Kargil, represented by Ali-Asghar Karbalai; and Kosar Publishing, represented by Hojatoleslam Abbas Kazemi. 
Hojatoleslam Mehdi Mehrizi was honored for work on expanding the role of women in society, and Mohammad Sadegh al-Hashemi for promoting the ideological foundations of the Iranian Revolution.
Organizers described the prize as an effort to internationalize Imam Khomeini’s ideas and to recognize individuals and institutions they see as advancing resistance, social justice and Islamic unity on a global scale.