Ali Khamenei Biography

Historical biography and chronological timeline for Ali Khamenei, based on 9 World History Database records associated with Iran.

9 records1979–20259 events2 places

Chronological biography

1979

Islamic Republic PartyFebruary 1979

Politics / Islamic Republic Party · Cleric · Tehran

Khamenei becomes one of the clerical founders of the Islamic Republic Party

1981

Assassination Attempt27 June 1981

Politics / Islamic Republic Party · Friday Prayer Leader · Abuzar Mosque

Khamenei is badly wounded when a bomb hidden in a tape recorder explodes during a speech in Tehran

Prime Minister NominationOctober 1981

Government / Government of Iran · President of Iran · Tehran

Khamenei nominates Ali Akbar Velayati for prime minister, but the Majles does not approve him

Presidential Election2 October 1981

Government / Government of Iran · Presidential Candidate · Tehran

Khamenei wins the presidential election following the assassination of Mohammad Ali Rajai

President of Iran13 October 1981

Government / Government of Iran · President of Iran · Tehran

Khamenei takes office as president during wartime and internal political repression

2005

Nuclear Power9 August 2005

Warfare / Nuclear · Ayatollah

Iranian Head of State Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issues a fatwa forbidding the production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons

Uranium Enrichment11 August 2005

Warfare / Nuclear · Ayatollah

The 35-member IAEA Board of Governors adopts a resolution calling upon Iran to suspend uranium conversion, and instruct director general Mohammed ElBaradei to submit a report on Iran's nuclear programmeme by September

2020

Missile Retaliation8 January 2020

Government / Government of Iran · Supreme Leader · Tehran

Iran fires missiles at bases housing United States forces in Iraq.

2025

Israeli Strikes on Iran13 June 2025

Warfare / Iran-Israel War · Supreme Leader · Supreme Leader of Iran · Tehran

Israel attacks Iranian nuclear and military sites.

Titles and roles

Ayatollah · Cleric · Friday Prayer Leader · President of Iran · Presidential Candidate · Supreme Leader · Supreme Leader · Supreme Leader of Iran

Record provenance

This biography is assembled from World History Database records filtered by country and personal-name fields. Exact duplicate display records are removed. The database is an index rather than a complete narrative biography; formal research should verify entries against relevant primary or specialist sources.