Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: 5 Facts About Him

New Delhi: Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has recently made headlines for his comments on Indian minorities. He is considered one of the most influential leaders in the world.

Khamenei holds the highest authority in Iran as the Supreme Leader, overseeing key institutions, including the armed forces, judiciary, and state media. He has the final say on most government matters, making crucial decisions on the economy, foreign policy, education, and national planning. The 80-year-old religious leader became Supreme Leader in 1989, following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founding father, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Here are five facts about the leader who has maintained a firm grip on power in Iran:

1.He Never Wanted to Become a Religious Leader 

Born in 1939 in the northeastern city of Mashhad to a religious scholar, Ali Khamenei had a deep interest in Iranian literature and poetry. He never intended to become a cleric, but his father pressured him to pursue religious studies.

2. He Actively Participated in the Iranian Revolution

Khamenei was more engaged in politics than religious affairs and was arrested six times before being exiled for three years during Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s reign. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah, he survived an assassination attempt in 1981 that left his right arm paralyzed. Khamenei was a key figure during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, forming close ties with the powerful Revolutionary Guards, whom he now controls.

3. He Served as Iran's Third President

Khamenei served as the third President of Iran from 1981 to 1989, becoming a close ally of the first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. In 1981, after the assassination of Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Khamenei was elected president by a landslide. In his inaugural address, he vowed to eliminate "deviation, liberalism, and American-influenced leftists."

4. He Narrowly Escaped an Assassination Attempt

In 1981, Khamenei narrowly survived an assassination attempt by the Mujahedin-e Khalq when a bomb hidden in a tape recorder exploded next to him. The blast seriously injured his arm, vocal cords, and lungs, leaving him permanently unable to use his right arm.

5. He Once Shared a Prison Cell with a Communist

In the 1970s, as Marxist groups also sought to overthrow the Shah, Khamenei shared a prison cell with Houshang Asadi, a young communist. Despite their political differences, the two reportedly got along well during their imprisonment.

This is not the first time Khamenei has commented on Indian minorities. In 2019, he expressed concern over the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the situation of Muslims in the region.

Recently, India and Iran strengthened their partnership by signing a significant long-term agreement to operate the Shahid-Beheshti Port Terminal.

(Inputs from agencies)