Global Leaders in 1989: Who Governed When Khamenei Assumed Iran's Supreme Leadership, From Bush to Bhutto
Loading more articles...
Khamenei's 37-Year Rule: From Cold War to 2026 US-Israeli Strikes
M
Moneycontrol•01-03-2026, 17:30
Khamenei's 37-Year Rule: From Cold War to 2026 US-Israeli Strikes
•Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became Iran's supreme leader in 1989, a period of global change with the Cold War still active and the Soviet Union intact.
•Key world leaders at the time included George H. W. Bush (US), Margaret Thatcher (UK), Rajiv Gandhi (India), Francois Mitterrand (France), Mikhail Gorbachev (Soviet Union), Deng Xiaoping (China), and Benazir Bhutto (Pakistan).
•Khamenei outlasted these leaders, witnessing major geopolitical shifts like the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of China.
•His tenure ended dramatically on February 28, 2026, when he was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes amidst escalating hostilities between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
•Khamenei's death triggered a sharp regional escalation, with Iran launching retaliatory strikes and Israel continuing operations in Iranian territory, raising fears of a broader war.
