Khamenei Among Oldest, Longest-Ruling Rulers Worldwide
Khamenei Among Oldest, Longest-Ruling Rulers Worldwide

Khamenei Among Oldest, Longest-Ruling Rulers Worldwide

Ali Khamenei, 86, is now among the oldest and longest-ruling authoritarian rulers in the world. For nearly four decades, he has held absolute authority in Iran — and amid the country’s war with Israel, he remains the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Why it matters:
Amid rising questions about his health and increasingly rare public appearances, Khamenei has taken extraordinary wartime precautions. According to The New York Times, as Israeli airstrikes target Tehran, he has retreated to a bunker, cut off electronic communications, and now relays orders through a trusted aide. In a rare move, he has named three senior clerics as potential successors and instructed the Assembly of Experts to ensure a swift transition if he is killed — notably excluding his powerful son, Mojtaba.

By the numbers:

  • Khamenei is the fourth-oldest political leader globally, after Paul Biya (91, Cameroon), Mahmoud Abbas (88, Palestinian Authority), and King Salman (88, Saudi Arabia).
  • He ranks sixth worldwide for longest uninterrupted rule among authoritarian leaders, now in his 36th year. Only leaders from Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Uganda, and Eswatini have ruled longer.
  • Among ceremonial figures, only Norway’s King Harald V (88) is older — but unlike Khamenei, he holds no governing power.

Context:
Iran’s constitution gives the Supreme Leader sweeping powers: full control over the military, judiciary, and state broadcasting, along with the ability to appoint top officials such as the judiciary chief and members of the Guardian Council. Khamenei also oversees the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and manages vast sectors of Iran’s economy through religious foundations and quasi-private institutions. His decision to pre-select successors marks a rare and telling break from Iran’s typically secretive leadership succession process.