Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not only the spiritual leader of Iran but also holds the highest power in the political and military structure of the country. Since succeeding the position of Supreme Leader after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's death in 1989, Khamenei has maintained almost absolute power, shaping the domestic and foreign policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran for over three tumultuous decades.
Poor background and educational path
Ali Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, into a poor family with a religious tradition. His father – Sayyed Javad Khamenei – was a modest Islamic cleric, living a life of austerity, always teaching his children to live simply and be content with what they have.
"We once had dinner with only bread and raisins. The house was only about 65 square meters, with one room and a dark basement," Khamenei recalled.
From the age of four, Khamenei and his brother began learning letters and the Qur'an at a traditional school called maktab. He later continued his studies at religious schools in Mashhad such as Soleiman Khan and Nawwab, where he quickly completed intermediate levels in just five years, focusing on subjects like logic, philosophy, and Islamic law. At 18, he began studying at the highest level in theological centers, becoming a student of many famous grand clerics like Ayatollah Milani.
In 1957, Khamenei made a pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Iraq and studied in Najaf, a famous Shia theological center. Although he had the opportunity to continue studying with renowned clerics like Ayatollah Hakim and Ayatollah Shahrudi, he decided to return to Iran to fulfill his father's wishes and moved to Qom.
From 1958 to 1964, Khamenei studied under the guidance of grand clerics such as Ayatollah Borujerdi, Ruhollah Khomeini (the first leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran), Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi, and Allameh Tabatabai – who later had a significant influence on his political and religious thinking.
Absolutely loyal to leader Khomeini
Since 1962, in Qom, Khamenei officially joined the opposition movement under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini against the monarchy of King Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. It was during this time that he became a staunch loyalist to Khomeini, believing that all his actions and ideals stemmed from the revolutionary Islamic thought initiated by Khomeini.
From 1962 to 1979, Khamenei was repeatedly arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for participating in the Iranian Islamic revolutionary activities. However, he never abandoned the path he had chosen.
Role after the 1979 Islamic Revolution
After the monarchy was overthrown and the Islamic Republic of Iran was established, Khamenei was trusted by leader Khomeini, quickly appointed to the Revolutionary Council, while also serving as Deputy Minister of Defense and playing a key role in the establishment of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In 1981, he was severely injured in a bombing at a mosque in Tehran, resulting in permanent paralysis of his right hand. Two months later, President Mohammad-Ali Rajai was assassinated, and Khamenei was elected as his successor.
Although the presidency at that time was mainly ceremonial, Khamenei had many disagreements with Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, whom he considered to be pursuing excessive reforms.
Not the first succession choice
In the 1980s, leader Khomeini chose Hussein-Ali Montazeri as his successor to the position of Grand Ayatollah. Khomeini entrusted Montazeri with important responsibilities and referred to him as "the sweet fruit of his life." Similarly, Montazeri respected and admired Khomeini's "absolute determination and unwavering faith."
In 1986, during the final years of Khomeini's life, Montazeri began publicly criticizing the foundations of the Islamic Republic, expressing a viewpoint leaning towards "more openness and moderation." This tension continued until Khomeini's death.
In March 1989, leader Khomeini revoked the succession rights of Montazeri, stripping him of the title of Grand Ayatollah. His portrait, hung next to Khomeini's, was also taken down.
Montazeri's decline created an opportunity for Khamenei to rise. After Khomeini's death in June 1989, the Assembly of Experts – a council of clerics – elected Khamenei as the Supreme Leader. Although Khamenei had not yet achieved the highest religious rank of marja-e taqlid (source of emulation), the Iranian constitution was later amended to only require the Supreme Leader to have "Islamic knowledge," enabling him to qualify for the position.
Khamenei was quickly promoted from the rank of Hojjat al-Islam to Ayatollah (meaning 'sign of God'), the second highest rank after Grand Ayatollah – a symbolic step affirming his supreme power in the new political system.
Continuing the hardline policy
Since he was president in 1981, Khamenei laid the foundation for a confrontational foreign policy, especially against the U.S. and the West. He once declared he would eliminate "liberalism and those influenced by America."
From 1989 to present, Supreme Leader Khamenei has continued the hardline policies of the late leader Khomeini and has had conflicts with Iranian presidents – a position that is largely ceremonial.
President Mohammad Khatami (1997–2005) promoted reforms and rapprochement with the West, but many of his initiatives were blocked by Khamenei. Conservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was initially thought to be close to Khamenei but later had deep conflicts due to his desire to expand personal power.
The controversial reelection of Ahmadinejad in 2009 led to the largest protests since the 1979 revolution. Khamenei ordered a strong crackdown, resulting in dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests.
President Hassan Rouhani (2013–2021) achieved the historic 2015 nuclear deal with Khamenei's approval, but did not receive support in social and economic reforms. When the U.S. withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions, Iran's economy fell into crisis and sparked intense protests in November 2019.
He did not oppose the 2015 nuclear deal but criticized Rouhani's administration for being overly trusting of U.S. goodwill. When President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions, Khamenei bluntly stated: "I said from the very beginning – do not trust America."
After the U.S. airstrike that killed General Qasem Soleimani in January 2020, Khamenei promised to take "cruel" revenge. Although he called the missile retaliation a "slap in the face of the U.S.,” he emphasized that: "More importantly, we must end the U.S. presence in the region."
Khamenei is also known for his hardline stance against Israel, having called the country a "cancerous tumor that must be removed from the region."
With Khamenei now over 86 years old and having experienced many health issues, the future of Iran is of particular concern both domestically and internationally. His successor will be chosen by the Assembly of Experts – but who can fill the enormous power vacuum he leaves behind remains a major unknown amid increasing pressure from the U.S. and Israel.
The council consists of 88 Islamic clerics, all of whom have high religious education, elected directly by the Iranian people through nationwide elections every 8 years. However, to run for election, candidates must be approved by the Guardian Council – an agency controlled by the Supreme Leader – ensuring that only those loyal to the current system can participate.
Once elected, members are tasked with quietly monitoring and evaluating the activities of the Supreme Leader, although in practice this is often merely formal as most members are loyal to the current leader.