Ali Khamenei
Ali Hosseini Khamenei (Persian: علی حسینی خامنهای; born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician serving as Iran’s second supreme leader since 1989. Previously, he was Iran’s third president from 1981 to 1989. His 35-year rule makes him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East and the second-longest-serving Iranian leader of the last century after Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Khamenei, a Grand Ayatollah and marja, is regarded as the leader of Shia Muslims and the Axis of Resistance.
Ali Khamenei | |
|---|---|
| علی خامنهای | |
Khamenei in 2025 | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 6 August 1989 | |
| In office 9 October 1981 – 16 August 1989 | |
| In office 7 February 1988 – 4 June 1989 | |
| In office 15 August 1983 – 4 June 1989 | |
| In office 28 May 1980 – 13 October 1981 | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 14 January 1980 | |
| President |
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| Preceded by | Ruhollah Khomeini |
| Supreme Leader |
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| Prime Minister | Mir-Hossein Mousavi |
| Preceded by | Mohammad-Ali Rajai |
| Succeeded by | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Appointed by | Ruhollah Khomeini |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani |
| Constituency | Tehran Province |
| Majority | 2,800,353 (87.8%) |
| Constituency | Tehran, Rey and Shemiranat |
| Majority | 1,405,976 (65.8%) |
| Appointed by | Ruhollah Khomeini |
| Interim Imams | See list |
| Preceded by | Hussein-Ali Montazeri |
| Born | Ali Hosseini Khameneh
|
| Political party | Independent (since 1989) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh (m. 1964) |
| Children | 6, including Mostafa, Mojtaba, and Masoud |
| Parents |
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| Relatives |
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| Residence | House of Leadership |
| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Website | english |
Before the 1979 Iranian revolution, Khamenei was arrested six times and exiled for three years under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. In June 1981, after the revolution, he survived an assassination attempt that left his right arm paralyzed. During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, he strengthened ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which he controls. As president, he was a close ally of Ruhollah Khomeini. After Khomeini’s death in 1989, the Assembly of Experts elected Khamenei as supreme leader, reportedly following Khomeini’s endorsement. He has also headed Astan Quds Razavi since 1979.
As Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei wields ultimate political authority, overseeing the state, military, and government policies in economy, environment, foreign relations, and national planning. He directly or indirectly controls the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as the media. The Guardian Council, which vets candidates for the presidency, parliament, and Assembly of Experts, operates under his influence. There have been instances where he intervened in the council’s decisions.
Major protests have occurred under Khamenei’s leadership, including the 1994 Qazvin protests, 1999 student protests, 2009 presidential election protests, 2011–12 protests, 2017–18 protests, 2018–19 general strikes, 2019–20 protests, 2021–22 protests, and the Mahsa Amini protests. Critics, including journalists and bloggers, have been imprisoned for insulting Khamenei, often facing blasphemy charges, lashes, and jail time, with some dying in custody.
Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Khamenei issued a 2003 fatwa prohibiting the production, stockpiling, and use of weapons of mass destruction.
Personal life
Family
Ali Khamenei is married to Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, and they have six children—four sons (Mostafa, Mojtaba, Masoud, and Meysam) and two daughters (Boshra and Hoda). His son Mojtaba is married to the daughter of Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, while Mostafa is married to the daughter of Azizollah Khoshvaght. Masoud's wife is the daughter of Mohsen Kharazi. Khamenei has three brothers, including Mohammad Khamenei and Hadi Khamenei. His sister, Badri Hosseini Khamenei, was married to dissident Ali Tehrani and fled into exile in the 1980s.
Home
As Supreme Leader, Khamenei relocated to a residence on Palestine Street in Central Tehran. Over time, this residence expanded into a large compound known as the "Beit Rahbari compound," consisting of around fifty buildings. The facility employs approximately 500 personnel, many recruited from military and security forces.
Lifestyle
Khamenei is known for a simple lifestyle. According to Iran analyst Mehdi Khalaji, his standard of living is decent but not extravagant. Robert Tait of The Daily Telegraph noted his reputation for a spartan lifestyle. Journalist Dexter Filkins described him as an ascetic, often dressing and eating modestly. His wife once stated in an interview that their home lacks typical decorations, as they chose to avoid material excess. However, reports suggest that Khamenei has been seen riding in a BMW, with images showing him exiting the vehicle. Despite his authoritative position, he enjoys poetry, gardening, and once smoked a pipe—an uncommon habit for a cleric. He rarely leaves Iran and has been photographed tending to his garden using a simple plastic watering can.
Health
Speculation about Khamenei’s health has circulated for years. In January 2007, rumors spread about his illness or death after he was absent from public events, including the Eid al-Adha celebrations. In response, Khamenei dismissed the claims as enemy propaganda meant to demoralize the Iranian people. However, photos later showed him looking visibly weak.
On 9 September 2014, Khamenei underwent prostate surgery, which was described by state media as a routine procedure. Reports from Western intelligence sources suggested he had prostate cancer. In September 2022, Khamenei reportedly underwent surgery for a bowel obstruction, leading to the cancellation of several scheduled meetings.
Political life and presidency
Ali Khamenei was a key figure in the Iranian Revolution and a close ally of Ruhollah Khomeini. After the establishment of the Islamic Republic, he held several government positions. His political career gained momentum when Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani introduced him into Khomeini's inner circle. Hassan Rouhani later secured him his first major role as deputy defense minister in the revolutionary government.
Military and Government Positions
In 1980, Khomeini appointed Khamenei as Tehran's Friday prayer leader following Hussein-Ali Montazeri’s resignation. He briefly served as vice minister of national defense and supervised the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. He also visited battlefields as part of the parliament’s defense commission.
Assassination Attempt
On 27 June 1981, Khamenei survived an assassination attempt by the Mujahedin-e Khalq. A bomb hidden in a tape recorder exploded while he was delivering a lecture at Aboozar Mosque. The attack severely injured his right arm, vocal cords, and lungs, leaving him permanently unable to use his right hand.
Presidency (1981–1989)
Following the assassination of President Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Khamenei won the 1981 Iranian presidential election with 97% of the vote. He was the first cleric to become president, despite Khomeini initially opposing clerics holding the position. Khamenei was reelected in 1985 with 87% of the vote.
During his presidency, Khamenei vowed to eliminate "deviation, liberalism, and American-influenced leftists." The early 1980s saw violent opposition to the government, with state repression leading to the execution of many insurgents. Revolutionary courts were later restrained, but opposition groups remained suppressed.
Iran–Iraq War Leadership
As president, Khamenei played a major role in the Iran–Iraq War and strengthened ties with the Revolutionary Guards. He was deeply involved in military planning and budgets. After Iran expelled Iraq’s forces in 1982, he opposed invading Iraqi territory, a stance shared with then-Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Post-War Events and Mykonos Incident
In 1997, a German court ruled that the Mykonos restaurant assassinations were ordered by Iranian intelligence minister Ali Fallahian, with alleged knowledge of Khamenei and Rafsanjani. Iranian officials strongly denied involvement. The ruling caused a diplomatic crisis between Iran and European nations, which ended in November 1997. The suspects were later released in 2007 and deported to their home countries.
Foreign policy
Ali Khamenei directly controls Iran's foreign policy, making decisions independently of the president. His team includes former foreign ministers and can intervene at any time. His approach avoids both full confrontation and complete accommodation with the West.
Khamenei condemned the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, likening Saudi Arabia to Israel. He also criticized Myanmar's treatment of Rohingya Muslims and called Aung San Suu Kyi a "brutal woman." However, the U.S. accused him of ignoring China's treatment of Uyghurs.
Following the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Soleimani's assassination, and Ebrahim Raisi's election, Iran strengthened ties with Russia and China. This alignment became clearer in 2022 when Iran supplied drones to Russia for use in Ukraine. Iran's support for attacks on U.S. forces and its long-standing military ties with North Korea led critics to describe an emerging Iran-Russia-China-North Korea "Axis of Upheaval."
Khamenei consistently opposes the U.S., viewing it as an enemy necessary for Iran's policies. He warned in 2006 that Iran could disrupt oil shipments if attacked and later accused the U.S. of creating insecurity in Iraq. He dismissed Obama's call for better relations, insisting that U.S. actions, not words, must change. He condemned NATO’s intervention in Libya and labeled the U.S. as a terrorist supporter for backing Israel.
Khamenei repeatedly claimed that the U.S. created ISIS to destabilize the region. He rejected Western sanctions, arguing they fuel Iranian resistance. After the U.S. sanctioned him in 2019, he refused American COVID-19 aid in 2020, suggesting it was a biological attack. In 2024, Meta removed his social media accounts for policy violations.
Khamenei condemned the 9/11 attacks but opposed U.S. intervention in Afghanistan. He has been a vocal critic of Israel, calling it a "cancerous tumor" that should be removed. In 2015, he predicted that Israel would cease to exist within 25 years. He supported Palestinian resistance and called on Islamic nations to unite against Israel.
Khamenei has denied the Holocaust, questioning its historical reality and claiming it is used to suppress debate. He posted Holocaust-denying content online and praised figures known for denying it. He also linked Jewish people to global conspiracies, a stance widely criticized as antisemitic.
In response to the 2020 Israel-UAE normalization, Khamenei called UAE a betrayer of Islam. He praised Hamas' October 2023 attack on Israel but denied Iran's involvement. After Israel’s counterattacks on Gaza, he accused it of genocide.
Khamenei has written open letters, including one in May 2024 to U.S. university students, urging them to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza. He referred to them as part of the "Resistance Front" and encouraged continued activism. He also runs fundraising campaigns for Gaza and Lebanon.
References:
- 1981 Presidential Election | Iran Data Portal. (n.d.). https://irandataportal.syr.edu/1981-presidential-elections
- Afary, J. (2025a, February 10). Iranian Revolution | Summary, Causes, Effects, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution
- Afary, J. (2025b, February 10). Iranian Revolution | Summary, Causes, Effects, & facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Iranian-Revolution
- BBC News. (2024, July 1). Who is in charge of Iran? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57260831
- Desk, K. W. (2024, November 19). Iran leaders rare Friday prayer appearance sparks buzz. Kashmir Observer. https://kashmirobserver.net/2024/10/03/iran-leaders-rare-friday-prayer-appearance-sparks-buzz/#google_vignette
- Ihrdc. (2021, April 17). Murder at Mykonos: Anatomy of a political assassination. Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. https://iranhrdc.org/murder-at-mykonos-anatomy-of-a-political-assassination/
- Iran and the Palestinian War against Israel: Implications of the Karine-A Affair. (n.d.). The Washington Institute. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/iran-and-palestinian-war-against-israel-implications-karine-affair
- Jazeera, A. (2014, September 8). Iran’s supreme leader undergoes surgery. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2014/9/8/irans-supreme-leader-undergoes-surgery
- Khamenei banned nuclear weapons development, military cleric says. (2025, January 21). Iran International. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202501217015
- Khamenei uses Iraq war anniversary to reinforce Iranian steadfastness. (n.d.). The Washington Institute. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/khamenei-uses-iraq-war-anniversary-reinforce-iranian-steadfastness
- Kumar, S. (2024, October 4). Many attempts on Khamenei's life and Iran's turbulent post-revolution leadership. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/ayatollah-ali-khamenei-assassination-attempts-iran-turbulent-post-revolution-leadership-israel-2611557-2024-10-04
- Middle East Council on Global Affairs. (2024, November 19). Iran’s evolving foreign policy structure: Implications on foreign relations - Middle East Council on Global Affairs. https://mecouncil.org/publication/irans-evolving-foreign-policy-structure-implications-on-foreign-relations/
- Rfe/Rl. (2020, September 1). Iran’s Khamenei says U.A.E. “Betrayed” Islamic World with Israel normalization deal. RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-s-khamenei-says-u-a-e-betrayed-islamic-world-with-israel-normalization-deal/30814722.html
- Robinson, K. (2023, October 27). What is the Iran nuclear deal? Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-iran-nuclear-deal
- Tait, R. (2021, April 30). Robert Tait. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/r/rk-ro/robert-tait/
- Voice. (2024, February 14). Mahsa Amini's Death: 5 Things You Need to Know. Women’s Voices Now. https://www.womensvoicesnow.org/mahsa-amini?
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