Ali Khamenei. His death was confirmed both in Tehran and abroad, including the USA and Israel
In this article, we will discuss the life and career of Ali Khamenei.
Ali Khamenei, whose full name is Seyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, was born on April 19, 1939, in the city of Mashhad to a family of a Shia cleric. He received his education in religious institutions and attained the status of mujtahid, which grants the right to make independent legal decisions (ijtihad).
In the 1960s and 1970s, Khamenei actively fought against the regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, for which he was repeatedly subjected to arrests and exiles, including being sent to Iranshahr after another detention.
He repeatedly criticized the pro-American policies of the Shah, which led to persecution by the authorities. In particular, he spent two months in solitary confinement.
In 1975, after anti-government lectures, Khamenei was imprisoned by the Iranian Ministry of State Security, where, as he later recalled, the conditions of detention were extremely harsh.
After returning to Mashhad, he was banned from teaching and continued his underground activities. In the winter of 1976, he was arrested again and sentenced to three years of exile in southeastern Iran.
Khamenei was considered one of the key preachers of the movement opposing the Shah.
During the Islamic Revolution of 1979, he became part of the inner circle of the first Supreme Leader of Iran, Ruhollah Khomeini, and was one of the founders of the Islamic Republican Party, as well as participating in the establishment of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At that time, he also held positions in the Majlis and served as Deputy Minister of Defense, often going to the front during the Iran-Iraq War.
In June 1981, an assassination attempt was made on Khamenei, resulting in an explosion at a mosque in Tehran, which partially paralyzed his right arm. Soon after, he was elected President of Iran, receiving over 95% of the votes in the election, and was re-elected in 1985.
After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, the Assembly of Experts elected Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader, amending some provisions of the Constitution and granting him the title of Grand Ayatollah.
Under his leadership, Iran continued to develop its nuclear program. In 2015, an agreement was signed with world powers (JCPOA), but after the USA withdrew from this deal in 2018, Iran began to reduce its commitments.
The Ayatollah has repeatedly criticized the USA and has not recognized the legitimacy of Israel, maintaining ties with Lebanese Hezbollah and other radical groups in the region.
Protests against Khamenei's regime have become a regular occurrence. The most massive protests occurred in 2009, 2017-2018, 2019, and 2022. The authorities brutally suppressed these demonstrations, imposing restrictions, including blocking internet access and tightening security measures.
Since 1964, Khamenei was married and had six children. His son Mojtaba is already being considered a possible successor.
Ali Khamenei passed away on February 28, 2026, at the age of 86.
