# Ali Khamenei

_Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 to 2026_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/ali-khamenei
Last updated: 2026-10-21

> Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination by Israeli airstrikes in 2026. The patriarch of the Khamenei family prior to his death, Khamenei had previously served as the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. His 36-year tenure makes him Iran's longest-serving supreme leader.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 19 April 1939 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Mashhad ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P19))
- **Died:** 28 February 2026 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P570))
- **Place of death:** Tehran ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Pahlavi Iran; Iran ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P27))
- **Occupation:** Islamic jurist; politician; translator; writer; poet; cleric ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P106))
- **Political party:** independent politician (since 1989); Islamic Republican Party (1979–1987); Combatant Clergy Association ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P102))
- **Education:** Qom Hawza; Najaf Seminary; Hawza ‘Ilmiyya Khorasan ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P69))
- **Spouse:** Mansoureh Khojaste Bagherzadeh ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P26))
- **Official website:** khamenei.ir ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P856))
- **Positions held:** 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 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P39))
- **X (Twitter):** khamenei_ir ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P2002))
- **Facebook:** Khamenei.ru ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P2013))
- **Instagram:** khamenei.en ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336#P2003))

## 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.

## Related

- [Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani](https://diginpl.com/people/akbar-hashemi-rafsanjani)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Ali Khamenei](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Khamenei) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikipedia (Nepali): अली खामेनेइ](https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%88) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q57336](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q57336) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Ali Khamenei Nowruz message official portrait 1397 02 (3 x 4 cropped).jpg by khamenei.ir (CC BY 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ali_Khamenei_Nowruz_message_official_portrait_1397_02_(3_x_4_cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Ali Khamenei, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Ali Khamenei Nowruz message official portrait 1397 02 (3 x 4 cropped).jpg — khamenei.ir, CC BY 4.0.

## Cite this page

"Ali Khamenei". DigiNepal. Last updated 21 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/ali-khamenei. Retrieved 21 October 2026.