TEHRAN Former South African president Nelson Mandela described the late Imam Khomeini as a great Leader and a distinguished politician who freed Iran from a totalitarian rule. Making the remark in a meeting with Iran's Ambassador to South Africa, Javid Qorban Oqhlou, he also expressed satisfaction over his recent telephone conversation with Iran's President Mohammad Khatami and said big steps have been taken during Khatami administration to offer a realistic view of Iran to the world the most important of which were Khatami's meeting with the Pope and promotion of Iran's ties with the Persian Gulf neighboring countries.

Thanking President Khatami for inviting him to the international conference of dialogue among civilizations, he said he was ready to travel to Iran, IRAN reported. Both Imam Khomeini and Nelson Mandela have several common characteristics. Imam Khomeini launched his anti-dictatorship struggle in 1963 and was exiled to Iraq where he stayed until 1978 when he left for France. He stayed in France until early 1979 and came to Iran when Shah was forced to leave the country.

Shortly after his arrival, Imam Khomeini established the Islamic Republic of Iran overthrowing the 2,500-year-old monarchical system. Mandela set up the African National Congress (ANC) and launched an anti-apartheid struggle against the Pretoria regime. Since 1965 he spent almost all his life in prison for what the apartheid regime called "trial for treason". He was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 1964 and was released in February 1990. In May 1994 he was elected President of South Africa, the first ever black president in the history of South Africa. After the victory of Islamic Revolution, Iran cut off its ties with the apartheid regime of South Africa at a very heavy cost.

Although some Western countries had superficially sanctioned South Africa for its apartheid policies, in practice they extended all sorts of support to Pretoria to the extent that it was on the verge of becoming a nuclear power. In contrast Iran was a real supporter of Mandela and the ANC. When Mandela was elected president, Iran and South Africa resumed bilateral ties.

Though some Western countries have tried to undermine Iran-South Africa cordial ties, President Mandela has announced several times that he "would not forget old friends." "Yes both the leaders share many characteristics," one journalist told the TEHRAN TIMES, adding, Imam Khomeini was a saint and a charismatic leader. Mandela too is a saint-like and a charismatic leader. The Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei once said, "Imam Khomeini is the ever alive reality of history." Imam Khomeini revived Islam, the dignity of the Muslims and splendor of the Iran, Ali Baqher Shahi a university lecturer says.

Imam did not belong to the Iranians or Muslims, he cared for all the deprived of the world. He was the leader of the downtrodden, he added. Ahmed Kathrada describes Manedla as follows: "Mandela" ("old man", as he and I call each other on informal occasions) does not fit comfortably into the category of the ordinary man. Of course, he is charming and charismatic, has a magnetic personality and a commanding presence - qualities that set him apart from one's next-door neighbor." In an article titled, "A man singled out by history," Mangosuthu Buthelezi wrote in an special issue on Nelson Mandela: "Never again will a nation see in one man the realization of every hope and dream."