Ali Khamenei

Ali Khamenei, born on July 16, 1939, in Mashhad, Iran, has been the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini. As Supreme Leader, he holds ultimate authority over all state matters including foreign policy, military, judiciary, and media. He was previously President of Iran from 1981 to 1989. Khamenei has overseen Iran through several critical periods including the Iran-Iraq War aftermath, nuclear negotiations, and the Green Movement of 2009. He is a grand ayatollah and has issued numerous fatwas on religious and political matters. His tenure has been marked by both consolidation of clerical power and confrontation with the West over Iran's nuclear program.