Ali Khamenei

Iran's ultimate decision-maker since 1989, Khamenei controls the nuclear programme, the Revolutionary Guards and foreign policy including support for Hezbollah and Hamas. His calculus on nuclear negotiations is shaped by survival of the Islamic Republic — not just tactical bargaining — making any deal with the US structurally fragile.

Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad. A mid-ranking cleric who participated in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, he served as Iran's President (1981–1989) before becoming Supreme Leader after Khomeini's death. As Supreme Leader, he commands the armed forces, appoints judiciary heads, and exercises final authority over nuclear policy. He has survived multiple health scares and governs through an elaborate system of parallel institutions designed to prevent any single power centre from challenging him.