Sky News Daily Revisited: From accidental to absolute leader – who is Ayatollah Khamenei?
Dec 31, 2025
In this discussion, Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow and expert on Iranian politics, shares insights on Ayatollah Khamenei’s unexpected rise from a reluctant leader to Iran's supreme authority. He explores Khamenei's crucial role in shaping Iran's anti-Western stance and its complex power dynamics involving the Revolutionary Guard. Vatanka also analyzes Iran's nuclear ambitions and the implications of Khamenei's potential demise, suggesting that his departure could either destabilize or reinforce the regime. A riveting look at the man behind the curtain of Iranian politics!
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Clerics And Guards Share Power
- The Islamic Republic is held up by two pillars: clerics and the Revolutionary Guards who evolved from protectors to regional enforcers.
- Alex Vatanka links Iran's foreign adventurism directly to this cleric–IRGC coalition shaping policy and power projection.
Accidental Rise From Modest Beginnings
- Khamenei rose from relative obscurity and poor origins in Mashhad to become an unexpected inner-circle figure after 1979.
- He became president then, surprisingly, supreme leader at 49 after a constitutional change because he lacked senior religious rank.
Guard Bond Secured Authority
- Khamenei cultivated a close bond with the Revolutionary Guards to secure his authority and give them a mission after the Iran–Iraq war.
- That coalition prioritized hard power expansion and regional proxy networks over domestic reform.