He has the power to appoint ministers, ambassadors, governors once approved by the parliament. In 2016, Khamenei, who outlines the elections guidelines "in line with Article 110 of Iran's Constitution", asked to maximize the amount of transparency in elections in Iran, using modern technologies. The only Iranian presidential election that had fewer candidates approved by the Council of Guardians was the 1989 Iranian presidential election, where only two candidates were approved by the Council of Guardians to run, and Rafsanjani easily won 96% of the votes. Khamenei ordered a review of the sentence against Aghajari and it was later commuted to a prison sentence. [19] After the Iranian revolution overthrowing the shah, he was the target of an attempted assassination in June 1981 that paralysed his right arm. [230] Also, he said that he had raised the issue "to spell an end to any debates". However, Khamenei himself has insisted human rights are a fundamental principle underlying Islamic teachings, that precedes western concern for human rights by many centuries. [66] In a 2011 report in The Daily Telegraph, defectors from Iran claimed Khamenei has a considerable appetite of caviar and trout, a stable of 100 horses, collects items such as pipes and (reputedly) 170 antique walking sticks, and has a private court stretching over six palaces. TEHRAN, IRAN – JUNE 19: A pro-government demonstrator holds aloft a picture of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at Tehran University, on June 19, 2009 in Tehran, Iran. Later on, the current President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, then a member of Parliament, arranged for Khamenei to get his first major post in the provisional revolutionary government as deputy defense minister. In 1958, he settled in Qom where he attended the classes of Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi and Ruhollah Khomeini. In January 2007, after he had not been seen in public for some weeks, and had not appeared as he traditionally does at celebrations for Eid al-Adha, rumours spread of his illness or death. [279], In 2002, he ruled that human stem cell research was permissible under Islam, with the condition that it be used to create only parts as opposed to a whole human. It is banned in Iran and several other countries. According to Karim Sadjadpour of the American Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, several factors have strengthened Khamenei in recent years: (1) A vast network of commissars stationed in strategic posts throughout government bureaucracies, dedicated to enforcing his authority; (2) the weak, conservative-dominated parliament, headed by Khamenei loyalist Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel (whose daughter is married to the Leader's son); (3) the rapidly rising political and economic influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, whose top leaders are directly appointed by Khamenei and have always been publicly deferential to him; (4) the political disengagement of Iran's young population ...; and (5) most significant[ly], the 2005 presidential election, which saw hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad trounce Khamenei's chief rival ... Hashemi Rafsanjani ...[83], According to Christopher Dickey, in order to consolidate his power base, Khamenei has developed close relations with the security and military establishment, while also expanding the bureaucracy inside the government and around his Beit Rahbari compound. [296] However, major protests against the Iranian regime also broke out throughout Iran in 2011, and they became known as the 2011–12 Iranian protests. France's conviction of Garaudy, he said, was against the concept of freedom of speech. [59][60] He has two brothers, Mohammad Khamenei and Hadi Khamenei. [83], Khamenei took a firm stand against the 2009–10 Iranian election protests, and stated that he will neither reconsider vote results nor bow to public pressure over the disputed reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. That wiped out the American Indians? "[194] His foreign policy is said to steer a course that avoids either confrontation or accommodation with the West. Isn't this the government that massacred the original native inhabitants of the land of America? The persistent US-Iran issues of the comatose 2015 nuclear deal and Washington-imposed sanctions were touched upon by Khamenei in a televised speech on Sunday. On 14 September 2007, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (on the 1st Friday prayer of Ramadan) predicted that George W. Bush and American officials will one day be tried in an international criminal court to be held "accountable" for the U.S. led invasion of Iraq. He stated that the normalization will be only temporary, but the UAE will forever have to bear the shame regarding the deal. Published 4 March 2008, Chairman of Expediency Discernment Council, 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, 2018–2019 Iranian general strikes and protests, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, October 1981 Iranian presidential election, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons, Timeline of the 2009 Iranian election protests, Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 protests, An Outline of Islamic Thought in the Quran, Iqbal, the Poet-Philosopher of Islamic Resurgence, Motto of years in Islamic Republic of Iran, "توضیحات مجلس خبرگان درباره جلسه انتخاب آیت‌الله خامنه‌ای به عنوان رهبر در سال 68/ آیت‌الله گلپایگانی فقط 14 رای داشت", "letter to Hashemi Rafsanjani and resignation from presidency", "چه کسی در نخستین انتخابات خبرگان اول شد؟ +جدول", "A photo of Identity document of Ayatollah Khamenei", https://farsi.khamenei.ir/photo-album?id=8799, روایتی از تاریخ دقیق تولد رهبر انقلاب از زبان معظم‌له+عکس, "taking look at the biography of Ali Khamenei", "Khamenei Will Be Iran's Last Supreme Leader", "Tehran Politics: Are the Mullahs Losing Their Grip? [22][23] Khamenei served as the third President of Iran from 1981 to 1989, while becoming a close ally of the first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei recently issued a new fatwa declaring that women in cartoons and animated films must wear the hijab, according to a … [152], In mid-August 2009, a group of unnamed former reformist lawmakers appealed to the Assembly of Experts – the constitutional body charged with electing and (in theory) supervising and removing the Leader – to investigate Leader Ali Khamenei's qualification to rule. He has attacked Western powers who have criticized the rights record of the Islamic Republic for hypocrisy saying that these countries economically oppress people in Third World countries and support despots and dictators. "[275] His use of "extra-legislative power" has been criticized by reformists and opposition groups. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Fakhrizadeh “the country’s prominent and distinguished nuclear and defensive scientist.” Khamenei, who has the final say on all matters of state, said Iran’s first priority after the killing was the “definitive punishment of the perpetrators and those who ordered it.” "This crisis has forced the UN to declare state of emergency for food shortages around the globe but foreign radios have focused on Iran to imply that the current price hikes and inflation in the country are the results of carelessness on the part of Iranian officials which of course is not true", he said. [188] He said that the Iranian people will respond with an "iron fist" if Western powers meddle in Iran's internal affairs. Khamenei, who was ranked as a Hujjat al-Islam and not a Marja' as required by the Iranian constitution, said he would only be a "ceremonial leader", and was reassured by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani the position would be "temporary" until a referendum, apparently planned for one year later. [54], On 24 June 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on Khamenei with the signing of Executive Order 13876.[55]. The Revolutionary Guards have been deployed to suppress opposition to him. [125] as well as elaborating on the factors needed to create Islamic unity, he argues: "neither the Shia Muslims allied with the British MI6 are Shias, nor the Sunni mercenaries of the American CIA are Sunnis, as they are both anti-Islamic. Spotlight on Press Tyrants: CPJ Names Ten Worst Enemies of the Press. [16][17] He was previously President of Iran from 1981 to 1989. [61] The six-month investigation by Reuters into found that, regarding the source of Setad's funds, "Setad built its empire on the systematic seizure of thousands of properties belonging to ordinary Iranians: members of religious minorities like Vahdat-e-Hagh, who is Baha'i, as well as Shi'ite Muslims, business people and Iranians living abroad. [256] Khamenei has approved new legislation against Baháʼís in Iran and lessen their influence abroad. In 1981, after the assassination of Mohammad-Ali Rajai, Khamenei was elected President of Iran by a landslide vote (97%) in the October 1981 Iranian presidential election in which only four candidates were approved by the Council of Guardians. [83] According to Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Khamenei has "resisted Rafsanjani's attempts to find a modus vivendi with the United States, Khatami's aspirations for a more democratic Islamic state, and Ahmadinejad's penchant for outright confrontation. As supreme leader, he has either direct or indirect control over the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, as well as the military and media. [285], Khamenei argues that "Today, homosexuality is a major problem in the western world. [182] These constitutional provisions give Khamenei direct and indirect influence over the Council; an entity that, in turn, has direct influence over who can run for government. Iran says U.S. sanctions against its supreme leader signal 'permanent closure' of diplomacy Trump's new Iran sanctions are part of a 'high risk' strategy that could lead a … He speaks Azerbaijani, his father's native language. According to the Reuters investigation, Khamenei uses the assets of a company called Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam or "Setad" in Farsi, in order to increase his grip on power. [288] He praised the works of Mikhail Sholokhov, Alexei Tolstoy,[289] Honoré de Balzac, and Michel Zévaco. Meanwhile, a tape recorder accompanied with papers was put on the desk in front of Khamenei by a young man who pressed a button. [17], In July 2007, Khamenei criticized Iranian women's rights activists and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): "In our country ... some activist women, and some men, have been trying to play with Islamic rules in order to match international conventions related to women", Khamenei said. Since Khamenei was not a marja' at the time—which the Iranian constitution required—he was named as the temporary Supreme Leader. [17], Khamenei supported Mesbah Yazdi describing him as one of Iran's most credible ideologues prior to the 2005 election, but has reportedly "recently been concerned about Mesbah's political ambitions. "Ayatollah Khamenei says Iran will back 'any nations, any groups' fighting Israel", "Iran leader urges destruction of 'cancerous' Israel", "Khamenei: Israel will no longer exist in 25 years", "Iran's Supreme Leader Says Israel Won't Exist in 25 Years", "Israel's Netanyahu Returns Fire After Iran Supreme Leader's Death Threat", "The best 2015 year sentence of Iranian leader in view of Iranian people was selected", "Iranian leader backs Palestinian liberation from Israel 'tumor, "6th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada", "Iran's Khamenei: UAE 'disgraced forever' by Israel deal", "Iran's Khamenei questions 'certainty' of Holocaust", "Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei Says Reality of Holocaust is 'Uncertain, "Oops, He Did It Again: Iran's Supreme Leader Questions the Holocaust", "Ayatollah Khamenei During His National Address", "Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei Posts Holocaust Denial Video on Remembrance Day", "Supreme leader of Iran marks Holocaust Memorial Day by publishing Holocaust denying video", "Iranian Leader Khamenei Praises French Holocaust Denier on Twitter", "BBC Mundo | Irán: advertencia con petróleo", "Leader outlines elections guidelines, calls for transparency", "Iran finally admits it shot and killed 'rioters.' [295] Later, in "Islamic Awakening conferences" which were held in Tehran, Khamenei praised the Muslim youths of Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain for what he described as Islamic awakening. [248] In a series of tweets in mid-December 2019, he praised Garaudy: "The fight he engaged in against the Zionists is a #DivineDuty for all those who respect the #Truth." This influence was evident in the 2004 parliamentary elections, in which the Guardian Council disqualified thousands of candidates from running—including 80 incumbents, many of the reformist members of Parliament, and all the candidates of the Islamic Iran Participation Front party. … ii) Previous council type organizations such as broadcasting council and supreme judicial council were not successful in practice and leadership council would not do well for similar reasons. [41], Muhammad Sahimi claims that his political career began after the Iranian Revolution, when the former President of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, then a confidant of Khomeini, brought Khamenei into Khomeini's inner circle. In his presidential inaugural address Khamenei vowed to eliminate "deviation, liberalism, and American-influenced leftists". Recent rumours about the health of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have thrown the spotlight on what will happen if he becomes too ill to rule, or dies. The draft bill is not legitimate and in the interests of the system and the revolution. Khamenei emphasized that no one has the right to blame the Iranian government for Iran's economic problems. He also said that attaching a high status to scholars and scientists in society would help talents to flourish and science and technology to become domesticated, thus ensuring the country's progress and development. He also paralleled these events with Islamic revolution in Iran during his Nowruz oration in 2011. [266] Also, according to the law, "spreading libel against officials, institutions, organizations and individuals in the country or insulting legal or real persons who are lawfully respected, even by means of pictures or caricatures" is not allowed. [165] In 2016, Khamenei advised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his former ally with whom his relationship was strained after Ahmadinejad accused his son Mojtaba Khamenei of embezzling from the state treasury,[166] to not run for president again. [96][97][98] Khamenei made protestations of his unworthiness -- "my nomination should make us all cry tears of blood"[65] and debated with the mujtahids of the Assembly[99]—but eventually accepted the post. Khamenei issued a statement declaring that "enemies of the Islamic system fabricated various rumors about death and health to demoralize the Iranian nation", but according to author Hooman Majd, he appeared to be "visibly weak" in photos released with the statement. The Supreme Leader Of Iran - WorldAtlas [102][103][104][105], Khamenei's era has differed from that of his predecessor. "[176][177], On 30 April 2008, Ali Khamenei backed President Ahmadinejad's economic policy and said the West was struggling with more economic difficulties than Iran, with a "crisis" spreading from the United States to Europe, and inflation was a widespread problem. ", "انتصاب آیت‌الله خامنه‌ای به عنوان رئیس خدمه‌ی آستان قدس رضوی", "Profile: Iran's 'unremarkable' supreme leader Khamenei", "Iran's Khamenei hits out at Rafsanjani in rare public rebuke", "Khamenei says Iran must go green – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East", "Exclusive: Iran pursues ballistic missile work, complicating nuclear talks", "IranWire – Asking for a Miracle: Khamenei's Economic Plan", "Khamenei outlines 14-point plan to increase population", "Iran: Executive, legislative branch officials endorse privatization plan", "Rafsanjani breaks taboo over selection of Iran's next supreme leader", "Iran reverses ban on reformist candidates", "The Basij Mostazafan – A culture of martyrdom and death", "Khamenei was the victim of an attempted assassination", "Police Are Said to Have Killed 10 in Iran Protests", "Several killed, 300 arrested in Tehran protests", "The Office of the Leader, Seyyed Ali Khamenei", "Iran and the Caucasus: The Triumph of Pragmatism over Ideology – Centre for World Dialogue", "Azeris unhappy at being the butt of national jokes", "ShiaOnline.ir – شیعه آنلاین – نگاهی اجمالی به شجره نامه آیت الله خامنه ای", "Historic Personalities of Iran: Seyed Ali Khamenei", "Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Iran", Knowing the sons of Iran’s supreme leader, Seyyed Masoud Khamenei, beside his father-in-law (Seyyed Mohsen Kharazi) – Portrait, Seyyed Masoud Khamenei, with his father-in-law --Seyyed Mohasen Kharazi, "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei controls £60 billion financial empire, report says", "Mojtaba Khamenei: gatekeeper to Iran's supreme leader", "Yazdi Released; Mousavi, Karroubi Children Write Letter to Nation", "Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei loves caviar and vulgar jokes, defector claims", "Profile: Iran's 'unremarkable' supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei", Iran’s Top Leader Undergoes Prostate Surgery, "Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has prostate surgery", "Meet 'The Decider' of Tehran. [61][62][63], According to Mehdi Khalaji, an Iran expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Khamenei has a decent life "without it being luxurious". They are the background actors of Zionist elements," said Khamenei in his speech. "[61] Dexter Filkins describes Khamenei as presenting himself "as an ascetic, dressing and eating simply". [148], Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Damien McElroy and Ahmad Vahdat observed: "The ayatollah likes to cultivate an image of austerity but receives major commissions from the Iranian oil and arms industries and there have been regular claims that he and his son have amassed a fortune running into billions of dollars. The Iranian leader said that the ongoing economic crisis which has crippled the world has been unprecedented in the past 60 years. [225][226][227][228], In a September 2008 sermon for Friday prayers in Tehran, Khamenei stated that "it is incorrect, irrational, pointless and nonsense to say that we are friends of Israeli people",[229] because he believed that the occupation is done by the means of them. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has vowed revenge after the killing of the country's chief nuclear scientist, as top officials pile blame on Israel. [215] Khamenei explained, “There are enemies who are demons, and there are enemies who are humans, and they help one another. [193], Khamenei has "direct responsibility" for foreign policy, which "cannot be conducted without his direct involvement and approval". [153], According to The New York Times reporting in mid-August 2009, a "prominent Iranian cleric and a former lawmaker said on Sunday that they had spoken to some of the authors and had no doubt the letter was genuine". [196], U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized Khamenei for his refusal to condemn the Xinjiang re-education camps and human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in China. On the other hand, Mother Nature Network claims Khamenei has been seen riding around in a BMW car and published a picture of him exiting one. [88][89], Khamenei has fired and reinstated Presidential cabinet appointments. "[W]e have no problem with Jews and Christians ... we have problem with the usurpers of Palestine land," he added. According to the Associate Press it is unlikely the letter's demands would be met as "two-thirds of the 86-member assembly are considered strong loyalists of Khamenei and would oppose" any investigation of him. Khamenei became the first cleric to serve in the office. Ruhollah Khomeini had originally wanted to keep clerics out of the presidency but later changed his views. [50][51][52] Khamenei's great ancestor was Sayyid Hossein Tafreshi, a descendant of the Aftasi Sayyids, whose lineage supposedly reached to Sultan ul-Ulama Ahmad, known as Sultan Sayyid, a grandchild of Shia fourth Imam, Ali ibn Husayn. This was different in "both style and substance" to the fatwa on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) by Gad El-Hak Ali Gad El-Hak of Egypt's Al-Azhar University in the late 1980s which permitted ART (IVF and similar technologies) as long there is no third-party donation (of sperm, eggs, embryos, or uteruses).