Prayer Ceremony for Late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, The bloodthirsty dictator Amid Ceasefire Tensions

The Structure of Power in Iran

The role of Supreme Leader is unique in global politics. Unlike presidents or prime ministers, the Supreme Leader holds authority over multiple branches of government simultaneously.

Under Ali Khamenei, this structure became even more centralized. He maintained direct control over:

• The armed forces
• The judiciary
• State broadcasting
• Key economic foundations

This concentration of power allowed him to shape both domestic policy and Iran’s strategic direction abroad. It also meant that his death creates an unusually large institutional gap.