The supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died on Saturday, February 28, 2026, after an airstrike in Tehran, according to reports. His death came after airstrikes on his home by the US-Israeli coalition.
Ali Hosseini Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, Iran. He received his religious education in madrasas in Mashhad, Najaf, and Qom, where he became a close associate of the leader of the Iranian revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. During the Iranian revolution of 1978–1979, Khamenei was one of the most active figures in opposing the regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, which led to his repeated arrests and eventual exile.
After the revolution was victorious in 1979, Khamenei held various important positions. In 1981, he became the third President of Iran, a position he held until 1989 during the Iran-Iraq War. During this time, he strengthened his ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which played a major role in the country’s politics and security.
After Khomeini’s death in 1989, the Assembly of Experts elected Khamenei as the country’s Supreme Leader, a position he held for over 36 years. During this time, he became the longest-serving leader in the Middle East, and the longest-serving Iranian leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
In his domestic politics, Khamenei was described as a hardliner who strengthened the power of the Supreme Leader’s office and greatly expanded the authority of the security and military apparatus. During his term, there were large-scale anti-government protests, which were often met with harsh repression. Externally, he supported the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” a coalition of Iranian-aligned forces and militias fighting in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza.
Khamenei supported Iran’s civilian nuclear program, and issued a fatwa banning weapons of mass destruction. He was a staunch opponent of Israel and Zionist ideology, and consistently expressed support for the Palestinians. These policies have led to ongoing tensions between Iran and the West, particularly the United States and Israel.
His death is expected to significantly alter the direction of Iranian politics and the balance of power in the region. While his supporters describe him as a hero who defended independence and the principles of the revolution, his critics accuse him of being responsible for political repression and human rights abuses. His record, however, is marked by his emergence as one of the most influential leaders in the Middle East in the 21st century.
