The Shah is gone, Revolutionary demonstrators celebrate in Iran's capital city of Tehran on January 16th, the day the Shah fled the country with his family. This opened up a gap in the country for the leader of the revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini to return from exile and form the Islamic republic of Iran. A million people took to the streets to cheer on Khomeini and denounce the Shah. Tehran, IRAN - 16/01/1979.