Iran’s top authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Iraq’s leader Abdul Latif Rashid on Saturday that the US was not a trustworthy ally and urged him to keep US forces out of his country.
“Even the presence of one American in Iraq is too much,” Khamenei told Rashid, who was in Tehran with a delegation to boost ties between the two Neighbours.
Who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
If you are interested in learning more about the politics and history of Iran, you might want to know who is Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He is the most powerful figure in the country and has been in charge since 1989, following the death of his predecessor and mentor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini .
Ayatollah Khamenei is a religious scholar who belongs to the Twelver Shia branch of Islam. He holds the title of marja’, which means a source of emulation for Shia Muslims. He is also the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He has authority over all branches of government, including the judiciary, the legislature and the executive. He also appoints key officials, such as the members of the Guardian Council, which oversees elections and legislation, and the head of the judiciary .
Ayatollah Khamenei has been involved in Iran’s political and religious affairs since the 1960s, when he joined the opposition movement against the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He was arrested several times by the security services and suffered torture in prison. He became a close associate of Ayatollah Khomeini, who led the Islamic Revolution of 1979 that overthrew the Shah and established the Islamic Republic. After the revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei held various positions, such as deputy minister of defense, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and president of Iran from 1981 to 1989 .
As Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has faced many challenges and crises, both internally and externally. He has presided over eight presidential elections, some of which were marred by allegations of fraud and protests. He has also dealt with economic sanctions, military threats, regional conflicts, nuclear negotiations and social unrest. He has maintained a hard-line stance on most issues, especially on relations with the United States and Israel, which he considers enemies of Iran. He has also supported various militant groups in the Middle East, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine .
Ayatollah Khamenei is now 84 years old and his health has been a subject of speculation for years. He underwent prostate surgery in 2014 and is rumored to suffer from cancer. His successor is not yet known, but whoever it is will have to be approved by a body called the Assembly of Experts, which is composed of 88 clerics elected by the people . The next Supreme Leader will inherit a complex and volatile situation in Iran and beyond.