Ali Khamenei
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| Name | Ali Khamenei |
| Caption | Official portrait |
| Office | Supreme Leader of Iran |
| Term start | 4 June 1989 |
| Predecessor | Ruhollah Khomeini |
| Birth date | 19 April 1939 |
| Birth place | Mashhad, Pahlavi Iran |
| Religion | Twelver Shia Islam |
| Alma mater | Qom Hawza, University of Tehran |
Ali Khamenei is the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran, a position of ultimate political and religious authority in the Islamic Republic of Iran. He assumed the role in 1989 following the death of the republic's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini. His tenure has been defined by the consolidation of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist as a governing doctrine, a confrontational foreign policy towards the United States and Israel, and the oversight of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its nuclear program.
Early life and education
Born in the holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, he was raised in a devout Shia family; his father was a noted cleric. He began his religious studies in Mashhad before moving to Najaf and then to the major seminary center of Qom, where he studied under prominent scholars including Hossein Borujerdi. During this period in Qom's seminaries, he was deeply influenced by the emerging political thought of Ruhollah Khomeini. He also pursued formal education in the secular system, eventually earning a degree in Islamic theology from the University of Tehran.
Political career before the Revolution
His political activism against the Pahlavi dynasty began in earnest in the early 1960s, aligning himself with Khomeini's opposition to the White Revolution reforms of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. This activism led to multiple arrests and periods of imprisonment by the SAVAK, the Shah's secret police. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was involved in underground networks, delivering sermons and writing pamphlets that criticized the monarchy. He was also exiled for a time to cities such as Iranshahr and Sarbaz for his anti-government activities, which bolstered his credentials as a committed revolutionary.
Role in the Iranian Revolution
During the climactic events of the Iranian Revolution in 1978–1979, he emerged as a key organizer and orator, helping to mobilize public support for Khomeini's leadership. Following the revolution's success and the collapse of the Pahlavi dynasty, he was appointed to several critical positions in the new Islamic Republic of Iran. He served as the deputy Minister of Defense and was the founding leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, playing a central role in institutionalizing the new regime's military arm. In 1981, he was elected President of Iran, a position he held until 1989.
Supreme Leadership of Iran
After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, the Assembly of Experts selected him as the new Supreme Leader of Iran. His leadership has overseen the entrenchment of conservative clerical control, the expansion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's economic and political power, and the pursuit of a uranium enrichment program that has led to prolonged tensions with the United Nations Security Council. Key events during his tenure include the suppression of the 1999 student protests in Iran, the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests, the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015, and the subsequent U.S. withdrawal from the agreement under President Donald Trump. His authority extends over the judiciary, military, and state media through his constitutional powers.
Political and religious views
His ideology is firmly rooted in the principle of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, which he interprets as granting the Supreme Leader expansive authority over all state matters. He is a staunch proponent of political independence from Western powers, often articulated through the slogan "Neither East nor West." He consistently advocates for the Palestinian cause against Israel and supports groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. On economic policy, he promotes a "Resistance economy" aimed at achieving self-sufficiency amid international sanctions. Religiously, he holds the rank of Marja', though his authority as a source of emulation is contested within some Shia scholarly circles.
Personal life and legacy
He is married and has six children, including prominent figures like Mojtaba Khamenei. In 1981, he survived an assassination attempt by the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), which permanently damaged his right arm. Known for his austere lifestyle, he is also a published author and translator of works on Islamic philosophy and politics. His legacy is inextricably linked with the endurance and ideological rigidity of the Islamic Republic of Iran, shaping its domestic policies and its adversarial stance in international relations for over three decades. His succession remains a central question for the future of Iran's political system.
Category:1939 births Category:Supreme Leaders of Iran Category:Twelver clergy