Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

My Word: Middle Eastern summer stories - opinion

The Middle East never takes a break, with power struggles, hidden agendas, and dangerous alliances shaping the region’s future.

|ByLIAT COLLINS
Mourners attend the funeral of former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha, Qatar, July 12, 2026.
A man walks in front of a huge anti-US billboard referring to the death of US senator Lindsey Graham, at Valiasr Square in Tehran on July 16, 2026.

Trump expected to expand military actions against Iran as CENTCOM launches fifth day of strikes

Hamas unable to conduct terror infiltration, repeat of October 7, IDF commander tells soldiers • Dubai gov't says explosions heard in city are 'false,' despite witness reports

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
IRGC CHIEF Ahmad Vahidi (center in black) prays with mourners for Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the second day of funeral ceremonies at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, in July 2026.

Hardliners in Tehran are running the show while the Iran's supreme leader watches - opinion

Many believe Iran is currently operating with four overlapping centers of authority – and that each is vying for supreme power.

|ByNEVILLE TELLER
US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Prime Minister of Iraq Ali al-Zaidi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 14, 2026.

Trump says Iran 'will be defeated soon,' as US begins new wave of airstrikes on Iranian targets

Trump, Netanyahu expected to meet in US on Monday • US CENTCOM redirects vessels attempting to breach Hormuz blockade • IDF may begin withdrawal within days after Israel-Lebanon talks in Rome end

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

I-RAN: How Trump reshaped the battlefield with Tehran - opinion

Freedom will indeed come for the Persian people; it is only a matter of time.

APRIL 13, 2026ByMIKE EVANS
A graffiti of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 8, 2025

'Iran will not forfeit its rights': Statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei read on state TV

"Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity," Khamenei added.

APRIL 9, 2026ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
State media in Iran published a written message from the new leader on Thursday evening after nearly two weeks without any message or sign of him. These outlets also appear to have used image-enhancement tools to make Mojtaba Khamenei’s face look more polished

Iran’s ‘jihad of knowledge’ was never about its people - opinion

How the Islamic Republic weaponized science, hollowed out its universities, and left its citizens to pay the price

APRIL 9, 2026BySARA BAZOOBANDI
The ‘jihad of knowledge’ is a state doctrine, introduced by the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by Israel and the US in the opening strike of the current war.

Iran's Araghchi seen as country's most powerful foreign minister yet - explainer

Iranian and US officials are expected to hold talks on Friday to discuss a long-term settlement after the longtime foes agreed on a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire to suspend a six-week-old war.

APRIL 9, 2026ByREUTERS
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi speaks at a weekly news conference in Tehran, Iran, on March 16, 2026.

Mojtaba Khamenei unconscious in Qom, not actually running Iran - report

A diplomatic memo cited by The Times says Iran’s supreme leader is in severe condition and unable to take part in decision-making, deepening uncertainty over who is running the country.

APRIL 7, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A woman holds a portrait of Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, on the day of a gathering to support Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.

North Korea distancing itself from Iran to leave door open for US talks, Seoul says

Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said North Korea had not sent weapons or supplies so far to Iran since the conflict started on February 28.

APRIL 6, 2026ByREUTERS
NORTH KOREA'S Kim Jong Un visits a special operations training base in North Korea, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on March 29, 2026.

Victory over the kingdom of evil

The richest country – the poorest people

APRIL 5, 2026BySHRAGA BIRAN, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE INSTITUTE OF STRUCTURAL REFORMS
‎Shraga F. Biran, founder of the Institute for Structural Reforms

Dancing through the crackdown: The satirical song soundtracking post-Khamenei Iran

As Iranian regime forces opened fired on citizens celebrating the dictator's death, London-based artist Naz used music on social media to make the voices of a jubilant, yet battered, nation heard.

APRIL 5, 2026ByOMID HABIBINIA/THE MEDIA LINE
BEHIND THE scenes of Hey Arr Arr, a track by Hamed Fard in which Naz dances, which became the first song marking the death of Ali Khamenei.

Freedom under fire: What Passover means in a time of war - comment

In a year of war, Jewish holidays reflect reality, where freedom is less about ideals and more about safety and survival.

APRIL 2, 2026ByHERB KEINON
On Wednesday night, we will talk about freedom, with the specter of ballistic missiles, safe rooms, and red-alert sirens still fresh in our minds.

Iran at a crossroads: No stability without the minorities - opinion

As Iran faces a historic turning point, its future stability depends on whether marginalized groups like the Kurds are finally included in government.

MARCH 29, 2026ByAMED MARDIN
Fighters from the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), an Iranian Kurdish opposition group, are pictured near the border with Iran in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, in the outskirts of Sulaimaniya, Iraq, June 21, 2025.