Who was Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, has been killed in US and Israeli airstrikes at the age of 86.

Early Life and Revolution

• Born in 1939 in Mashhad, a major holy city for Shia Muslims in northeastern Iran.
• He was an active figure in the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy and led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

1981 Assassination Attempt

• In June 1981, he was seriously injured in a bomb attack at the Abouzar Mosque in Tehran.
• The explosion, hidden inside a tape recorder, left his right arm paralysed and caused partial hearing loss.

Rise to Power

• Became President of Iran in 1981.
• Succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini as Supreme Leader in 1989 — the highest political and religious authority in the country.

Regional and Global Role

• Under his leadership, Iran strengthened its regional influence and developed a network of allied militias often referred to as the “Axis of Resistance.”
• The country expanded its indigenous defence and missile capabilities, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) playing a central role.
• Relations with the United States and Israel have remained deeply adversarial, leading to multiple rounds of economic sanctions on Iran.

Governance Style

• Known for a highly centralised leadership style.
• Rarely gives interviews and maintains tight control over political discourse.
• In 2018, a student was reportedly imprisoned after publicly questioning whether the Supreme Leader could be held accountable.

Supreme Leader of Iran

• Supreme leader is the de facto head of state and the highest political and religious authority of Iran (above the president).
• The office was established by the Constitution of Iran in 1979, pursuant to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s concept of the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, and is a lifetime appointment.
• The Supreme Leader, selected by the elected Assembly of Experts, a popularly elected President and the Majlis (the Parliament) represent different facets of the political system.
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the second Supreme Leader of Iran, serving from June 4, 1989, until his death on February 28, 2026.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-an elite military branch established in 1979, is accountable solely to the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, rather than the civilian government.

Sources: IE,