Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, is certainly in the news a lot, but who is he? Khamenei served as the president of Iran from 1981 through 1989. After 1989, he was deemed the nation’s rahbar. His prefix, ayatollah, is an acknowledgment of his religious rank.
How did he come to power, and what’s the controversy surrounding his reign? In this gallery, we outline Khamenei’s life, profiling the man who is often referenced but rarely understood.
Curious to know more about Khamenei? Click through the gallery.