Ayatollah Khamenei: From Revolution to Supreme Leader - Iran's Powerful Shiite Figure

Grand Ayatollah Khamenei is the second Supreme Leader of the Republic of Iran. He was born in Mashhad and studied at Iran's leading religious educational institution in Qom. As the leader of the Shiite revolution, Khamenei derives much of his influence in Iran from his role as leader of the Revolution in Iran. After the revolution in 1979, Khamenei was one of the founding members of the Republic Party and a member of the assembly of experts responsible for drafting Iran's new constitution. In September 2010, Khamenei issued a historic fatwa prohibiting insulting any symbols believed by Sunnis, including but not limited to the companions and wives of the Prophet.