Supreme Leader of Iran from 1989 to 2026 Ali Hosseini Khamenei was an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who served as the supreme leader of Iran from 1989 until his assassination by Israeli airstrikes in 2026. The patriarch of the Khamenei family prior to his death, Khameini had previously served as the president of Iran from 1981 to 1989. His 36-year tenure makes him Iran's longest-serving supreme leader. Wikipedia's most-read article for 3 days in a row: 8,267,023 views in all, peaking at 4,460,333 on March 1, 2026. Sat, Feb 28: 2,735,972 views Sun, Mar 1: 4,460,333 views Mon, Mar 2: 1,070,718 views Wiki link