Ali Khamenei facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids The Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei
علی خامنه‌ای
Khamenei in 2025

2nd Supreme Leader of Iran
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 August 1989
President	Himself Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Mohammad Khatami Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hassan Rouhani Ebrahim Raisi Mohammad Mokhber (acting) Masoud Pezeshkian
Preceded by	Ruhollah Khomeini
3rd President of Iran
In office 9 October 1981 – 16 August 1989
Supreme Leader	Ruhollah Khomeini Himself
Prime Minister	Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Preceded by	Mohammad-Ali Rajai
Succeeded by	Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
1st Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council
In office 7 February 1988 – 4 June 1989
Appointed by	Ruhollah Khomeini
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Member of the Assembly of Experts
In office 15 August 1983 – 4 June 1989
Constituency	Tehran Province
Majority	2,800,353 (87.8%)
Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly
In office 28 May 1980 – 13 October 1981
Constituency	Tehran, Rey and Shemiranat
Majority	1,405,976 (65.8%)
Tehran's Friday Prayer Imam
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 January 1980
Appointed by	Ruhollah Khomeini
Interim Imams	See list Ahmad Jannati Ahmad Khatami Kazem Seddiqi Ali Movahedi-Kermani Mohammad-Hassan Aboutorabi Fard Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari
Preceded by	Hussein-Ali Montazeri

Personal details
Born	Ali Hosseini Khameneh (1939-04-19) 19 April 1939 (age 86) Mashhad, Khorasan, Imperial State of Iran
Political party	Independent (since 1989)
Other political affiliations	Islamic Republican Party (1979–1987) Combatant Clergy Association (1977–1989)
Spouse	Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh (m. 1964)
Children	6, including Mostafa, Mojtaba, and Masoud
Parents	Javad Khamenei (father) Khadijeh Mirdamadi (mother)
Relatives	Mohammad Khamenei (brother) Hadi Khamenei (brother) Badri Khamenei (sister)
Residence	House of Leadership
Education	Khorasan Seminary Najaf Seminary Qom Seminary
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Islamic Republic of Iran
Branch/service	Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Irregular Warfare Headquarters
Years of service	1979–1980, 1980–1981
Commands	Revolutionary Guards
Battles/wars	Iran–Iraq War Operation Samen-ol-A'emeh

Religion	Islam
Denomination	Twelver Shiʿa
Religious career
Teacher	Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi Ruhollah Khomeini

n.b.

Ali Hosseini Khamenei (born 19 April 1939) is an important Iranian religious leader and politician. He has been the second Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989. Before this, he was the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei's time as leader has made him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East. He is also the second-longest-serving Iranian leader in the last century.

Khamenei was arrested six times and exiled for three years before the Iranian Revolution. In June 1981, after the revolution, he was targeted in an attack that left his right arm paralyzed. He was one of Iran's leaders during the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s. He built strong connections with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, which he now oversees. The Assembly of Experts chose Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader on 4 June 1989, when he was 50 years old.

As Supreme Leader, Khamenei holds the most power in Iran. He is the head of state and the commander of the armed forces. He makes the final decisions on important government policies. This includes areas like the economy, environment, and foreign policy. He has control over the government's different branches, the military, and the media.

Early Life and Education

A teenage Khamenei

Ali Khamenei was born in Mashhad, Iran, on 19 April 1939. He is the second of eight children. His father, Seyed Javad Khamenei, was a religious scholar. His mother was Khadijeh Mirdamadi. Two of his brothers also became religious leaders. His family background includes both Azerbaijani and Persian heritage.

Learning and Religious Studies

Khamenei started his education at age four, learning the Quran. He studied at religious schools in Mashhad. His teachers included Sheikh Hashem Qazvini and Ayatollah Milani. In 1957, he traveled to Najaf for further studies. However, he soon returned to Mashhad. In 1958, he moved to Qom, where he attended classes with important teachers like Seyyed Hossein Borujerdi and Ruhollah Khomeini.

Political Journey and Presidency

Khamenei at a protest during the Iranian Revolution in Mashhad

Khamenei played a key role in the Iranian Revolution. He was a close helper of Ruhollah Khomeini, who was the first Supreme Leader. After the Islamic Republic was formed, Khamenei held many government jobs. He became the deputy defense minister early in his political career.

Khamenei in military uniform during the Iran–Iraq War

In 1980, Khomeini appointed Khamenei as the Imam for Friday prayers in Tehran. He also briefly served as the vice Minister of National Defence. He was a supervisor for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. He even went to the battlefield as a representative during the Iran–Iraq War.

Becoming President of Iran

Khamenei has shaken hands with his left hand since an attack in 1981.

In 1981, after the previous president was assassinated, Khamenei was elected President of Iran. He won by a large number of votes. He was the first religious leader to hold this office. He was reelected in 1985.

During his time as president, Khamenei promised to fight against "deviation, liberalism, and American-influenced leftists." The government faced strong opposition during the early 1980s. This included protests and other activities. The government responded by cracking down on these groups.

Role During the Iran–Iraq War

Khamenei as Tehran's Friday Prayer Imam in 1979

Khamenei was one of Iran's key leaders during the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s. He developed strong connections with the Revolutionary Guards. As president, he was very involved in military, budget, and administrative details.

Supreme Leader of Iran

Khamenei became Supreme Leader in 1989. This happened after Ayatollah Khomeini decided that Ayatollah Montazeri would not be his successor. The Assembly of Experts chose Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader on 4 June 1989.

How He Was Chosen

When Khamenei was chosen, some members of the Assembly of Experts suggested having a group of leaders instead of one. They thought a council would bring more unity. However, others believed that one leader would be more effective. They also felt that the idea of a council was not traditional.

In the end, the idea of a leadership council was rejected. Khamenei was then elected as the leader by 60 out of 74 members present. He accepted the role, even though he felt he was not worthy.

Important Religious Status

At the time, the Iranian constitution required the Supreme Leader to be a "marja," a high-ranking religious authority. Khamenei was not yet a marja. So, he was named temporary Supreme Leader. Later, the constitution was changed to remove this requirement. The Assembly of Experts then confirmed Khamenei again on 6 August 1989.

Leadership and Policies

Khamenei's time as Supreme Leader has been different from his predecessor. He has continued a policy of balancing different groups to prevent any one side from gaining too much power. He has also built strong connections within the armed forces and among religious leaders. After three decades as Supreme Leader, Khamenei has placed many loyal people in important positions across Iran.

He makes the final decisions on many important issues. These include the economy, foreign policy, and other national matters. He regularly meets with government officials to guide them.

Economic Changes

In 2007, Khamenei asked for state-owned companies to be sold to private owners. This included the telephone company, banks, and oil businesses. He wanted to speed up Iran's move towards a more private economy. He also said that protecting ownership rights would encourage private investment.

Science and Technology Support

Khamenei has supported scientific progress in Iran. He was one of the first religious leaders to allow stem cell research and therapeutic cloning. In 2004, he said that Iran's progress depends on investing in science and technology. He believes that valuing scientists helps new ideas grow and makes the country stronger.

Foreign Relations

Khamenei is directly involved in Iran's foreign policy. He has his own team that works on international relations. His foreign policy aims to avoid both conflict and full agreement with Western countries.

He has spoken out against certain actions by other countries. For example, he condemned the military actions in Yemen and the treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. He also criticized the United States' foreign policy, saying it interferes in other countries.

Views on Nuclear Weapons

Khamenei has stated that making, storing, or using nuclear weapons is forbidden under Islam. This religious ruling, called a fatwa, was mentioned by Iran at an international meeting in 2005. He has often spoken about his opposition to nuclear weapons for moral and religious reasons.

Relations with the United States

Iran and the United States have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980. Khamenei often speaks about opposing the United States. He has said that Iran would disrupt energy shipments from the Persian Gulf if attacked by the US. He has also accused the US of causing insecurity in Iraq.

In 2009, after US President Barack Obama suggested a "new beginning," Khamenei said that a change in US "words" was not enough. He stated that Iran would watch and judge the new US administration's actions.

Views on Israel

Khamenei is a strong opponent of the State of Israel and Zionism. He has called Israel a "cancerous tumor" that "should be removed from the region." He has also said that Iran will support groups fighting against Israel. He believes that Palestinian refugees should return to their homes.

Human Rights and Freedoms

There have been several large protests during Khamenei's leadership. These include student protests in 1999 and protests after the 2009 presidential election. During these events, some protesters expressed strong opposition.

Khamenei has stated that human rights are a basic principle in Islamic teachings. He has criticized Western countries for their own human rights records, saying they support dictators and oppress people in other countries.

Media and Press

Khamenei has been criticized for his approach to the press. In 2000, he sent a letter to the Iranian parliament. He asked them not to change a law that would give more freedom to newspapers. This law had been used to close many independent newspapers.

Some newspapers in Iran are managed under Khamenei's direction. He has been named as one of the "top ten enemies of the press and freedom of expression" by a journalist group.

Personal Life

Family and Home

Khamenei is married to Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh. They have six children: four sons and two daughters. His sons are Mostafa, Mojtaba, Masoud, and Meysam. His daughters are Boshra and Hoda. Some of his children are married into other prominent families. He has three brothers and one sister.

As Supreme Leader, Khamenei lives in a compound in Central Tehran. This area has grown to include many buildings.

Lifestyle and Health

Khamenei is known for living a simple life. He presents himself as someone who lives without luxury. His wife has also said that their home does not have many decorations.

However, some reports from Western sources suggest he enjoys certain luxuries. These reports claim he has a taste for caviar and trout, owns many horses, and collects antique walking sticks.

Khamenei's health has been a topic of discussion. In 2014, he had prostate surgery, which his doctors described as routine. In 2022, it was reported he had surgery for a bowel issue.

Literature and Arts

Khamenei supports scientific progress and has shown interest in language and arts. He has supported changing Farsi words and adding new ones.

He believes that poetry should lead the way for the Islamic revolution. He thinks that art and literature can help spread the revolution's ideas. He has also expressed a love for novels and stories since childhood. He has read many world novels and praised works by famous authors. He particularly called Victor Hugo's Les Misérables "a miracle in the novel writing world."

Khamenei is fluent in Arabic, in addition to his native Persian and Azerbaijani. He has translated several books from Arabic into Persian. He also enjoys poetry and has written some poems himself.

Public Diplomacy

Khamenei has used public speeches to address people in other countries. In 2011, he supported the Egyptian uprising, calling it an "Islamic awakening." He spoke in Arabic to Egyptian protesters, calling himself "your brother in religion." He has also praised young Muslims in other countries for what he sees as an Islamic awakening.