Khamenei's Legacy: Iran's Regional Power, West's Adversary, and a New Era of Conflict

• Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989, transformed Iran into a regional power through unconventional warfare and proxy networks.
• His strategy, shaped by the Iran-Iraq war, focused on asymmetric warfare, deterrence, and projecting influence without direct military occupation.
• Khamenei strengthened the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and cultivated partnerships with groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Houthis.
• Iran's nuclear program served as a diplomatic leverage tool, maintaining a threshold capability to deter adversaries and complicate military planning.
• Recent Israeli-US strikes in Tehran reportedly led to Khamenei's assassination, sparking denials from Iran before confirmation, and raising questions about Iran's future.