Khamenei casts his long shadow as Iran reaches a historic crossroads

Since 1989, the unwavering grip of Iran’s Supreme Leader has cast a long shadow over the Middle East, surviving the terms of six U.S. presidents. This period has been characterized by a strategic game of political chess, with Iran often playing a destabilizing role in the region.

U.S. presidents, CIA directors, and the broader U.S. intelligence community have kept a diligent watch over Iran’s maneuvers. The 1979 revolution, which fundamentally transformed the societal and political landscape of Iran, marked the beginning of an era that the White House has…