On September 24, 1978, according to a meeting held in New York City between Iraqi and Iranian foreign minister,[38] Khomeini was forced by Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein to leave Najaf, although the Shah and Hussein had begun plans to expel the Imam as early as 1975.[39] The Ayatollah preferred to go to another Muslim country, and obtained a visa for Kuwait,[40] but was turned back at the border because he had obtained the visa under the name “Ruhollah Mustafavi”.[41] Khomeini’s next preference was to go to Syria – where some sources say the Imam had intended to permanently reside even when he attempted to enter Kuwait[42] – but the lingering influence of Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr in Iraqi and Syrian politics meant that Syrian government would not accept him.[43] Khomeini then considered going to Bahrain, India, Pakistan or Algeria,[40] but his US-educated nationalist aide, Ebrahim Yazdi, argued that Khomeini should move to the West because of the greater communication opportunities offered there, with Paris offering the best option for communication with the world of his revolutionary message.[44]