👤 Person

Ali Khamenei

Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989

📊 Rating

88 news mentions · 👍 0 likes · 👎 0 dislikes

💡 Information Card

Who / What

Ali Hosseini Khamenei is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989.

Background & History

Born on April 19, 1939, Khamenei rose through the ranks of Iranian politics and religious leadership. He served as Iran's president for eight years before assuming the position of Supreme Leader following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. His tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years, makes him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East and the longest-serving Iranian leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Why Notable

Khamenei holds one of the most powerful positions in Iran, with ultimate authority over the country's political, military, and religious affairs. His leadership has spanned multiple significant periods in Iranian history, including the Iran-Iraq War, the post-war reconstruction, and numerous international tensions. His long tenure has shaped Iran's domestic policies and its relationships with other countries, particularly in the Middle East and with Western powers.

In the News

The provided data does not contain recent news or developments regarding Ali Khamenei.

Key Facts

Type: person

Also known as: Ali Hosseini Khamenei

Founded / Born: April 19, 1939

Key dates: Became president of Iran (1981), became Supreme Leader of Iran (1989)

Geography: Iran

Affiliation: Supreme Leader of Iran, former President of Iran

📊 Narrative Analysis (2026-03)

Sentiment: mixed

In March 2026, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, was killed in a US-Israeli military operation. This event has caused significant upheaval, with Iran retaliating against regional adversaries and discussions about the future leadership of Iran. The situation has led to mixed reactions globally, with some celebrating the potential for change and others concerned about ensuing instability.

Based on 42 news articles

📌 Topics

Middle East Conflict (16)
International Relations (11)
Middle East Politics (9)
Geopolitics (8)
Geopolitical Tensions (7)
Middle East tensions (6)
Leadership Transition (6)
Geopolitical Conflict (5)
Regime Change (5)
Military Escalation (5)
Leadership transition (4)
Conflict (4)

🏷️ Keywords

Iran (45) · Khamenei (36) · Middle East (27) · Ayatollah Khamenei (23) · Supreme Leader (16) · Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (15) · Israel (12) · Tehran (11) · Trump (11) · Iran Supreme Leader (11) · Ali Khamenei (9) · Islamic Republic (8) · Middle East tensions (7) · Revolutionary Guard (6) · Succession (6) · Operation Epic Fury (5) · Assassination (5) · US-Israeli strikes (5) · Nuclear Program (5) · Middle East politics (5)

📖 Key Information

Ali Hosseini Khamenei (born 19 April 1939) is an Iranian cleric and politician who has served as the second supreme leader of Iran since 1989. He previously served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. His tenure as supreme leader, spanning 36 years, makes him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East and the longest-serving Iranian leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

📰 Related News (88)

🇺🇸 ‘This is an incredible moment’: Iranian-Americans celebrate Khamenei’s death (2026-03-02)
More than half a million Iranians call the U.S. home, and many of them are celebrating a moment of hope after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah ...
🇺🇸 Satellite images show Iranian sites before and after airstrikes (2026-03-03)
The satellite images show damage to sites including the Choqa Balk-e drone facility and former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound....
🇺🇸 Process for Iran to appoint new supreme leader (2026-03-03)
Iran's government confirmed it's starting the process of picking a new supreme leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died during Saturday's attack. The ...
🇺🇸 As Maduro and Khamenei Learned, It’s Harder Than Ever for Leaders to Hide (2026-03-02)
A surge in sensors and cameras, combined with artificial intelligence, has transformed U.S. intelligence’s ability to locate foreign heads of state. A...
🇺🇸 Wagers draw scrutiny after Iran strikes: "Insider trading," senator says (2026-03-02)
Lawmakers are raising concerns that prediction market users are engaging in insider trading to wager on U.S. military actions....
🇺🇸 Nigerians mourn killing of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (2026-03-02)
Members of Nigeria’s Shia Muslim community are mourning Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who was killed....
🇺🇸 Prediction markets scrutinised over Iran bets (2026-03-02)
🇬🇧 How Israeli sleight and US might led to the assassination of Ali Khamenei (2026-03-01)
An operation decades in the making took just 60 seconds to carry out, but some question its wisdomThe assassination of Iran’s supreme leader...
🇺🇸 Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association Supports “Targeted Actions” Against Government Officials in Wake of U.S. Military Operations (2026-03-02)
“The Islamic regime in Iran, following the national uprising and tragic massacre of January 2025, has left its defenseless citizens with no option but...
🇺🇸 US officials skeptical of regime change in Tehran after Khamenei killing, say sources (2026-03-02)
🇺🇸 Israel launches strikes on Beirut after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border (2026-03-02)
Israel launched a barrage of strikes on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired missiles across the border early ...
🇺🇸 Who takes over in Iran with Khamenei dead? (2026-03-02)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed along with about 40 other senior members of the Islamic Republic regime in the U.S.-Israeli st...
🇺🇸 Satellite images provide view inside Iran at war (2026-03-02)
Satellite images from commercial companies show the extent of U.S. and Israeli strikes, and how Iran is responding....
🇬🇧 Watch: Moment Iran's state TV announces Supreme Leader has been killed (2026-03-01)
Iran's state media has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed....
🇺🇸 Iran begins 40-day mourning after Khamenei killed in US-Israeli attack (2026-03-01)
President Masoud Pezeshkian condemns killing of Iran's supreme leader as 'a great crime', according to his office....
🇺🇸 No U.S. casualties reported in Iran's retaliatory strikes (2026-03-01)
No U.S. casualties reported in Iran's retaliatory strikes...
🇬🇧 Few will mourn leader of ‘evil’ regime Ali Khamenei, says UK defence secretary (2026-03-01)
John Healey says there is ‘real and rising threat’ from Iran as US and Israeli military action divides political opinion<ul><li><a href="htt...
🇺🇸 Photos: Thousands of Iranians turn out to mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran (2026-03-01)
For many Iranians, the day began with the news they had feared....
🇺🇸 Global reaction to the killing of Iran’s Khamenei (2026-03-01)
🇺🇸 Analysis: Will Iran’s establishment collapse after the killing of Khamenei? (2026-03-01)
While the US bets on a swift regime collapse, analysts warn the power vacuum could birth a more aggressive leadership....
🇺🇸 Iran after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (2026-03-01)
Proponents of foreign intervention in Iran are unlikely to get the sudden rupture and regime change they hope for....
🇺🇸 Trump says operations will "continue until all of our objectives are achieved" (2026-03-01)
"Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is. Likely be more," President Trump said after mentioning the three U.S. service ...
🇺🇸 Celebrations and mourning in Tehran after strikes kill Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (2026-03-01)
Celebrations have been seen in Tehran after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-led strikes. Supporters of the the regime...
🇺🇸 Possible options for regime change in Iran (2026-03-01)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed along with about 40 other senior members of the Islamic Republic's regime in the initial onsl...
🇺🇸 U.S. crude oil set to top $70 a barrel when trading begins on fears of Iran supply disruption (2026-03-01)
It is unclear who is governing Iran, the fourth-largest oil producer in OPEC, after U.S.-Israel strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei....
🇺🇸 Tehran: a city at war (2026-03-01)
A dispatch from Iran’s capital, where an eerie silence was broken by explosions, pro-regime marches and people fleeing...
🇺🇸 Kalshi voids some bets on Khamenei’s ouster because it’s ‘directly tied to death’ (2026-03-01)
In a statement on X, Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour said his company would pay out positions on "Ali Khamenei out as Supreme Leader?" at the last trading pr...
🇺🇸 Trump agrees to speak to Iran's interim leadership: The Atlantic (2026-03-01)
President Trump on Sunday reportedly said he has agreed to speak to Iran's new leadership after the U.S. and Israel's joint strikes killed Ayatollah A...
🇺🇸 CIA intelligence led to strike that killed Khamenei in Iran, source says (2026-03-01)
The CIA had tracked Khamenei's location for several months before the strike that killed him, a person familiar with the matter tells CBS News....
🇺🇸 Who could succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to lead Iran? (2026-03-01)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's assassination brings Iran's clerics the colossal task of picking his successor....
🇺🇸 Who was Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? (2026-03-01)
Iranian state media confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader was killed in a joint US-Israeli strike...
🇺🇸 After Khamenei, who rules Iran? (2026-03-01)
Under fire from US and Israeli jets, the Islamic republic’s leaders turn to succession...
🇺🇸 Iranian missile strike on Israel’s Beit Shemesh kills nine people (2026-03-01)
Explosions heard in Tel Aviv as Israeli rescue services report casualties in Beit Shemesh missile attack....
🇬🇧 Ali Khamenei Killed (2026-03-01)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in his office on Saturday....
🇺🇸 Iran retaliates for U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (2026-03-01)
Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against an array of targets in Iran on Saturday resulted in the death of that nation's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamen...
🇺🇸 Killing Iran’s Leader (2026-03-01)
We look at the events leading to the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and what comes next....
🇺🇸 Trump, the Self-Declared Peace President, Goes to War Seeking Regime Change (2026-02-28)
President Trump has become increasingly willing to assert American power overseas, a decade after propelling himself to the highest office by promisin...
🇺🇸 Iran's Ali Khamenei, who based iron rule on fiery hostility to the U.S. and Israel, dies at 86 (2026-03-01)
He was killed on Saturday, aged 86, Iranian state media announced, in air strikes by Israel and the U.S. that pulverized his central Tehran compound....
🇺🇸 Putin slams killing of Iran’s Khamenei but offers little beyond condolences so far (2026-03-01)
🇬🇧 How Ayatollah Khamenei kept an iron grip on power for almost 40 years (2026-03-01)
Iranian state TV confirms the supreme leader has been killed on the first day of massive US and Israeli air strikes on the country....
🇺🇸 There is now an open path to a different Iran, EU’s Kallas says (2026-03-01)
🇺🇸 A Tyrant Falls. Dangerous Uncertainty Begins. (2026-03-01)
No one should mourn Ayatollah Khamenei, but Trump is creating the opportunity for chaos and violence with his campaign against Iran....
🇬🇧 UK troops and civilians being put at risk by Iran strikes, Healey says (2026-03-01)
British military personnel at a base in Bahrain were "within several hundred yards" of a strike, the defence secretary says....
🇺🇸 Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association Supports U.S. and Israeli Attacks in Iran That Have Killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (2026-03-01)
The Iranian Independent Filmmakers Association (IIFMA) is supporting the ongoing attacks by the U.S. and Israel in Iran that have caused the death of ...
🇺🇸 Iran forms interim council to oversee transition after Khamenei’s killing (2026-03-01)
Security chief Larijani pledges swift establishment of provisional council as Iran navigates its leadership transition....
🇺🇸 Iran holds funeral for Khamenei as war with U.S. and Israel continues (2026-03-01)
Iran's brutal regime was hobbled after a day of war with the U.S. and Israel, but as people gathered for the ayatollah's funeral, the country's future...
🇺🇸 Thousands gather in Tehran to mourn Khamenei's death (2026-03-01)
Thousands gather in Tehran to mourn Khamenei's death...
🇺🇸 Trump warns Iran not to retaliate after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is killed (2026-03-01)
The Iranian government has announced 40 days of mourning. The country's supreme leader was killed following an attack launched by the U.S. and Is...
🇬🇧 Iran's Supreme Leader killed in US-Israeli strikes (2026-03-01)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in his office on Saturday, ending his 36-year iron rule...
🇺🇸 Thousands in Iran mourn Khamenei’s killing (2026-03-01)
Supreme leader killed in US-Israeli strikes; IRGC pledges fierce retaliation across the region....
🇺🇸 In Khamenei’s absence, pragmatist Larijani emerges as power broker in Iran (2026-03-01)
🇺🇸 Iran Got Trump All Wrong (2026-03-01)
We should not squander this moment, when Iran is uniquely weak and vulnerable and we hold all of the advantages — literally....
🇺🇸 Iran after Khamenei: What's next and what it means for the country? (2026-03-01)
Khamenei assumed power following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, inheriting a revolutionary state still consolidating itself....
🇬🇧 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei obituary (2026-03-01)
Supreme leader of Iran who maintained theocratic rule at home and an anti-western axis of resistance in the Middle EastAyatollah Ali Khamene...
🇺🇸 War with Iran | CBS News Special (2026-03-01)
Tony Dokoupil anchors special coverage of the large-scale military operation launched by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah...
🇺🇸 ‘Saturday Night Live’ Opens With Quickly Scripted Sketch Of Trump Exulting In War With Iran: “My Board Of Peace Decided We Were Bored Of Peace” (2026-03-01)
Saturday Night Live opened with Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson), who touted himself as peacemaker, now exulting in war with Iran. Less than a day ...
🇺🇸 "I have been singing, screaming, celebrating with my people," Iranian-American journalist says (2026-03-01)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Saturday. CBS News contributor Masih Alinejad, who has s...
🇺🇸 Gas prices likely to rise after attack in Iran (2026-03-01)
Analysts tell NBC News’ Allie Canal that oil prices could jump as much as $20 a barrel driving gas prices up if there is widespread disruption in the ...
🇬🇧 Lyse Doucet: This is an extraordinary moment Iran has been preparing for (2026-03-01)
The killing of the supreme leader will be a huge jolt to the Islamic Republic, which will try hard to show it has a plan in place....
🇺🇸 Bitcoin recovers above $67,000 as markets digest Khamenei’s death (2026-03-01)
🇺🇸 Iranians Take to Streets to Celebrate Khamenei’s Death (2026-03-01)
Some Iranians said on social media that they were privately mourning the supreme leader. But displays of exuberance broke out in cities across the cou...
🇺🇸 Iran’s Ali Khamenei, who based iron rule on fiery hostility to US and Israel, dies at 86 (2026-03-01)
🇺🇸 Trump: Diplomatic solution in Iran remains possible and "much easier now" (2026-03-01)
The president said the strikes have put immense pressure on Iran, and he believes the U.S.-Israeli military action can lead to an eventual diplomatic ...
🇺🇸 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, 1939-2026 (2026-03-01)
Hardline cleric who led Islamic Republic since 1989 projected power across the region and suppressed protests at home...
🇬🇧 'Khamenei dead in rubble' and 'Middle East in flames' (2026-03-01)
All of the Sunday papers carry the major world news story on their front pages - the strikes on Iran by the US and Israel....
🇺🇸 Iran launches retaliatory attack on Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE (2026-03-01)
Donald Trump says supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed in joint US-Israeli operation...
🇺🇸 Trump says Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei is dead (2026-03-01)
US and Israeli forces pounded Iran with ‘massive’ strikes, drawing retaliatory attacks on Israel, UAE and Saudi Arabia...
🇺🇸 Explainer-How does Iran’s theocratic system of power work? (2026-02-28)
🇺🇸 The Immovable and Ruinous Obsessions of Ayatollah Khamenei (2026-02-28)
The supreme leader organized his existence around one big idea: resistance....
🇺🇸 Trump says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead (2026-02-28)
President Donald Trump says Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead....
🇺🇸 Netanyahu claims ‘many signs’ Iran’s Khamenei ‘no longer alive’ (2026-02-28)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei may be "no longer alive."...
🇺🇸 Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is killed in Israeli strike, ending 36-year iron rule (2026-02-28)
Khamenei, the Islamic Republic's second supreme leader, has been killed. He had held power since 1989, guiding Iran through difficult times — and...
🇺🇸 Iran’s Supreme Leader “Dead,” Trump Posts; Iran Says Not True As U.S. & Israeli Strikes Continues (2026-02-28)
Iran’s Supreme Leader is dead, Donald Trump has proclaimed in a lengthy social media. However, under bombardment from American and Israeli forces, the...
🇺🇸 Iran's supreme leader presumed to be dead, officials confirm (2026-02-28)
Multiple Israeli official sources confirmed to CBS News. A senior American intelligence official says the Supreme Leader is dead. CBS News' Haley Ott,...
🇺🇸 Trump on reports of Ayatollah's death: 'We feel that is a correct story' (2026-02-28)
In a conversation with Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, President Trump said he believed reports on the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatol...
🇺🇸 Iran's supreme leader presumed dead after U.S.-Israeli strikes, Israeli officials say (2026-02-28)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is presumed dead after a joint attack Saturday by the U.S. and Israel, Israeli officials tell CBS News....
🇺🇸 Iran's supreme leader's presumed death is "day of celebration," Masih Alinejad says (2026-02-28)
Iranian-American activist and CBS News contributor Masih Alinejad said Iranians are experiencing a range of emotions, including hope and concern, afte...
🇺🇸 Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei killed, senior Israeli official says (2026-02-28)
🇺🇸 Iran's Supreme Leader is presumed dead after U.S.-Israel strikes, sources say (2026-02-28)
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is presumed dead after a massive U.S. and Israeli military operation on Saturday, according to multiple ...
🇺🇸 Iran's foreign minister says the Ayatollah is still alive (2026-02-28)
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is still alive "as far as I know," the country's foreign minister has said in an exclusive interview wi...
🇺🇸 Targeted by airstrikes, Ayatollah Khamenei has Iran in iron grip (2026-02-28)
🇺🇸 Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei to give speech within minutes after U.S., Israeli strikes on Iran, Al-Alam TV says (2026-02-28)
🇬🇧 Who is Iran's supreme leader and how powerful is he? (2024-10-04)
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all major policies, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and controls th...
🇺🇸 Full interview: Iranian foreign minister reacts to U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran (2026-02-28)
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is still alive "as far as I know," the country's foreign minister has said in an exclusive interview wi...
🇺🇸 Who is Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and why is he a possible target? (2026-02-28)
Trump, who has previously said Khamenei should be 'very worried', is urging Iranians to overthrow their government....
🇺🇸 For Iran’s Rulers, Refusing U.S. Demands Is a Risk Worth Taking (2026-02-23)
The government in Tehran sees capitulating to Washington’s demands on uranium enrichment and ballistic missiles as riskier to its survival than going ...
🇬🇧 Iran's regime may be ready to strike a deal with Trump (2026-02-22)
Student-led protests have taken place in Iran this weekend, coinciding with the start of the new university term and the 40th day of mourning for many...
🇺🇸 Inside Iran’s Preparation for War and Plans for Survival (2026-02-22)
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has entrusted Ali Larijani, the top national security official, to ensure the Islamic Republic endures possible ...