The popular symbol of opposition’ to the Shah, exiled Moslem leader Ayatollah Khomeini, proved to be equally intransigent to Bakhtiar. Khomeini, still in exile, refused to meet with Bakhtiar unless Bakhtiar resigned. Khomeini’s uncompromising opposition to the puppet prime minister greatly increased his stature and influence, in the revolution. And Bakhtiar was forced to allow Khomeini to return to Iran, where he was greeted by a crowd estimated at four million people.