January 15, 2026
Iran’s Khamenei faces rare challenge as protests shake his longtime rule
Khamenei, now 86, has ruled Iran as supreme leader since 1989 after succeeding Ayatollah Khomeini Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks on, in a televised message after Israeli strikes in Tehran, Iran, June 13, 2025. Photo: Reuters/File Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dealt with a series of crises throughout his rule with a mix of repression and strategic maneuvering, but now he could be facing his biggest challenge yet. Khamenei, now 86, has ruled Iran for the past three and a half decades since taking office for life in 1989 as leader of the Islamic Revolution following












