The Islamist group that ultimately prevailed contained the core supporters of Khomeini. Amongst them were some minor armed Islamist groups which joined together after the revolution in the Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization. The Coalition of Islamic Societies was founded by religious bazaaris (traditional merchants). The Combatant Clergy Association comprised Morteza Motahhari, Mohammad Beheshti, Mohammad-Javad Bahonar, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Mofatteh, who later became the major leaders of the Islamic Republic. They used a cultural approach to fight the Shah.Because of internal repression, opposition groups abroad, like the Confederation of students, the foreign branch of Freedom Movement of Iran and the Islamic Association of Students, were important to the revolution.