Ali Khamenei

Quick facts

Born

19 April 1939 wd

Place of birth

Mashhad wd

Died

28 February 2026 wd

Place of death

Tehran wd

Citizenship

Pahlavi Iran, Iran wd

Occupation

Islamic jurist, politician, translator, writer, poet, cleric wd

Political party

independent politician (since 1989), Islamic Republican Party (1979–1987), Combatant Clergy Association wd

Education

Qom Hawza, Najaf Seminary, Hawza ‘Ilmiyya Khorasan wd

Spouse

Mansoureh Khojaste Bagherzadeh wd

Official website

khamenei.ir wd

Social media

X (Twitter) · Facebook · Instagram wd

Positions held wd

• Supreme Leader of Iran (4 June 1989 – 28 February 2026)
• Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces (4 June 1989 – 28 February 2026)
• Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council (7 February 1988 – 4 June 1989)
• Member of the Assembly of Experts (15 August 1983 – 4 June 1989)
• President of Iran (9 October 1981 – 16 August 1989)
• Member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (28 May 1980 – 13 October 1981)
• Tehran's Friday Prayer Imam (14 January 1980 – 28 February 2026)
• Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (24 November 1979 – 24 February 1980)
• Deputy Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics of Iran (1979–1980)
• commanding officer

About

Born in Mashhad to the Khamenei family, he studied at a hawza there before settling in Qom in 1958, where he attended the classes of Ruhollah Khomeini. Khamenei became involved in opposition to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and was arrested six times before being exiled for three years by the Pahlavi government. Khamenei was a mainstream figure in the Iranian Revolution, and upon its success, held many posts in the newly established Islamic republic. In the aftermath of the revolution, he was the target of an attempted assassination that paralysed his right arm. Khamenei served as the third president of Iran from 1981 to 1989 during the Iran–Iraq War, when he also developed close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). After the death of Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, Khamenei was elected supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts. During the deliberations, Khamenei expressed reservations about his own religious qualifications and suitability for the position, as he was a mid-ranking cleric and did not meet the constitutional requirement of marja'. The constitution was subsequently amended to remove that requirement, and the Assembly reconfirmed his leadership later that year.

As supreme leader, Khamenei supported Iran's nuclear program for civilian use while issuing a fatwa forbidding the production of weapons of mass destruction. In 2015, Khamenei endorsed the Iran nuclear deal, which restricted Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but the…

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Questions

When was Ali Khamenei born?

Ali Khamenei was born on 19 April 1939 in Mashhad.

What positions has Ali Khamenei held?

Positions held by Ali Khamenei include: Supreme Leader of Iran (1989–2026); Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces (1989–2026); Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council (1988–1989); Member of the Assembly of Experts (1983–1989); President of Iran (1981–1989).

Where did Ali Khamenei study?

Ali Khamenei was educated at Qom Hawza, Najaf Seminary, Hawza ‘Ilmiyya Khorasan.

Sources

1. Wikipedia (English): Ali Khamenei · CC BY-SA 4.0
2. Wikipedia (Nepali): अली खामेनेइ · CC BY-SA 4.0
3. Wikidata item Q57336 · CC0 1.0
4. Image: Ali Khamenei Nowruz message official portrait 1397 02 (3 x 4 cropped).jpg by khamenei.ir (CC BY 4.0)

Last updated 31 October 2026 · facts checked 7 November 2026

Cite this page

"Ali Khamenei". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/ali-khamenei. Retrieved 7 November 2026.

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