Imam Khomeini once said that his private life had been similar to that of the other people. Imam further explained that he had been a seminarian like the other students of theological schools.
Imam in an interview during his stay in Neauphle-le-Château explained his personal life as following:
Interview
Date: December 28, 1978 [Dey 7, 1357 AHS / Muharram 27, 1399 AH]
Place: Neauphle-le-Château, Paris, France
Subject: Some aspects of private life
Interviewer: A reporter of the French newspaper Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Q: [Would you please elaborate on some aspects of your private life since 1963?]
A: My private life is similar to that of the other people. I am a seminarian like the other students of theological schools.
Q: [How did you spend the years when you were not in Iran?]
A: I was living in exile in Turkey for a period of one year, and then was exiled to Najaf. I was in Iraq for 14 yeas and now I am here for the time being. During this time, besides teaching religious lessons, from time to time I informed the people of the Shāh’s crimes through delivering speeches or sending messages. I was not silent even for on second during this period of time.
Q: [How did you choose France as a place to stay in? And how did you choose this particular place (house) to reside in?]
A: I intended to go to Syria from Kuwait in the beginning. However, despite having a visa, the government did not allow me to enter the country and announced that they felt they were endangered. They even said that it was dangerous to allow me to go to the airport. Therefore, I came here, to a country that did not have such problems. And if I can continue my divine activities in another Islamic country, I will go there. There was no particular reason for coming to France.
Q: [What were the conditions of the French government for your residence here?]
A: The French government has set no conditions for me to stay in France and I will accept no condition to the detriment of the Iranian nation. Of course, in the beginning, they prevented me from holding interviews, but this problem was solved later.
Q: [What is and how is your daily program?]
A: I work over 16 hours a day. The nature of my work is quite different from what I was doing in Najaf. Interviews, discussions, occasional speeches, reading the reports that are compiled by some people, and reading the letters and telegraphs that are received and answering some of them, are my daily tasks.
Q: [How do you send your messages to Iran?]
A: Through telephone or through the people for the time being.
Q: [How do the reporters receive these messages?]
A: The situation in Iran is such that it has attracted not only the reporters, but also the common people. How is it possible for a reporter to follow the developments in Iran, while he does not receive the messages?
Q: [Do you answer all your letters every day?]
A: I answer them if necessary.
Q: [Do you have contacts with the people in Neauphle-le-Château to know what is going on in this little town?]
A: Some of them have come here.
Q: [Do you think that you will ever go back to Iran?]
A: I will go to Iran whenever I deem it appropriate. I do not care about the place. What is important is to fight against cruelty. Where it is more appropriate for this struggle, I will be there.
Sahifeh-ye-Imam, Vol.5, pages 292-293