The Political Ideology of Ayatollah Khamenei, Hovsepian-Bearce

Ayatollah ʿAli Hosseini Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is one of the most controversial and influential Muslim leaders in the world today. As Irans main decision-maker, his theocratic ideology and decisions carry global consequences.

The Political Ideology of Ayatollah Khamenei is the first book to identify and analyze the development and evolution of the theocratic ideology of the Supreme Leader from 1962 to 2014, using his own writings, speeches, and biographies, as well as literature published in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This work provides new insights into Khameneis political thought and behavior and their impact on Irans domestic, regional, and international policies. Correlating the development of Khameneis personality, character, and political behavior with Irans internal and external challenges, this study explores key issues of the Middle East region, in particular Irans political posture toward Israel, the United States, and the Muslim world, and the diplomatic crises unfolding over Irans nuclear development program. This work provides a comprehensive chronological and thematic survey of Khameneis life.

This book will be of interest to students, scholars, researchers, diplomats, and policymakers focusing on Middle Eastern politics, Iranian affairs, Islamic studies, and international relations; and could serve as an essential resource for those striving to understand Irans policies toward Israel, the United States, and the Muslim world, as shaped by its supreme autocrat.