Ali Khamenei
Some or all of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources, or by checking whether the references meet the criteria for reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted. (February 2015) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2015) This article may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. Please help by editing the article to make improvements to the overall structure. (February 2015) Ali Khamenei سید علی خامنه ای 2nd Supreme Leader of Iran Incumbent Assumed office 4 June 1989 President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Mohammad Khatami Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Hassan Rouhani Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi Preceded by Ruhollah Khomeini 3rd President of Iran In office 13 October 1981 – 3 August 1989 Prime Minister Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani (Acting) Mir-Hossein Mousavi Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini Preceded by Mohammad-Ali Rajai Succeeded by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani Leader of Islamic Republican Party In office 15 July 1981 – 15 May 1987 Deputy Mir-Hossein Mousavi Preceded by Mohammad-Javad Bahonar Succeeded by Party dissolved Personal details Born Ali Hosseini Khamenei (1939-07-17) 17 July 1939 (age 75) Mashhad, Iran Political party Combatant Clergy Association (1977–1979; 1987–present) Islamic Republican Party (1979–1987) Spouse(s) Khojaste Bagherzadeh (1964–present) Children Mojtaba Mostafa Masoud Meysam Hoda Boshra Religion Twelver Shia Islam Signature Website Official website Ali Hosseini Khamenei (Persian: علی حسینی خامنه ای pronounced [ʔæˈliː hoseiˈniː xɒːmeneˈʔiː] ( listen); born 17 July 1939) is the second and current Supreme Leader of Iran and a Shia Cleric. Ali Khamenei succeeded Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Iranian Revolution, after Khomeini's death, being elected as the new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts on 4 June 1989. He had also served as the President of Iran from 1981 to 1989. In 2012, Forbes selected him 21st in the list of The World's Most Powerful People. As the head of state, Khamenei is considered the most powerful political authority in Iran. Khamenei was the victim of an attempted assassination in June 1981 that paralysed his right arm. According to his official website, Khamenei was arrested six times before being sent to exile for three years during Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's reign. Like Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei has also issued a fatwa saying the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons is forbidden under Islam.