Entries by EHSAN MEHRABI

Khamenei and Rafsanjani: A Friendship That Turned Sour

The rental home thatAkbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ali Khamenei shared before the Islamic Revolution was located in an old neighborhood in south Tehran, on Nayeb es-Saltaneh (Goethe) Avenue’s Razzagh-Nia Alley, near a Peugeot repair shop. Rafsanjani’s share of the rent was 220 tomans and Khamenei contributed 200, or around $31 and $29 respectively. These were […]

Half Peace, Half War: Khamenei’s Regional Policies in the Middle East

Throughout the tenure of Ayatollah Khomeini, relations between the Islamic Republic and the Arab countries in the Middle East were tense. Right after the Islamic Revolution, Khomeini had called on the people in Arab countries to rise up against their rulers. The first major, direct confrontation between the Islamic Republic and an Arab country was […]

Khamenei and the US: No Audacity for Peace, No Courage for War

More than once before his death in January 2017, the former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani asserted that he had encouraged Ayatollah Khomeini to resolve the problem of Iran’s relations with the US because he feared that after Khomeini was gone, nobody else would be able achieve this. Rafsanjani’s prediction proved – for now at least – to […]

Khamenei Buys into China’s “New Silk Road” Plan

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei is one of the world’s most secretive and unknown leaders. Details on his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in Iran’s news only in recent years, media outlets have seldom […]

Khamenei’s Systematic Terrorism Abroad

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei is one of the world’s most secretive and unknown leaders. Details on his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in Iran’s news only in recent years, media outlets have seldom […]

How Big Is Khamenei’s Economic Empire?

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei is one of the world’s most secretive and unknown leaders. Details on his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in Iran’s news only in recent years, media outlets have seldom […]

Nuclear Confrontation, Khamenei’s Gift to Iran

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The series focuses on one of the most secretive world leaders. Reports about his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in the news only in recent years, the media has […]

Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei: An Ayatollah and his Acolyte

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The series focuses on one of the most secretive world leaders. Reports about his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in the news only in recent years, the media has […]

How Did Khamenei Become Supreme Leader?

Khamenei.com is a review of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s 31-year record as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The series focuses on one of the most secretive world leaders. Reports about his personal life are scant and, except for his son Mojtaba, whose name has been in the news only in recent years, the media has […]