Manipal, India — When Iran’s Assembly of
Experts chose Ali Khamenei as the country’s Supreme Leader on June 4, 1989, it
was because he was seen as a "consensus" man. After a decade under
Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as Supreme Leader – a title he created to
ensure that the clerics would dominate Iran – people were fatigued by the
austere leader's style and his air of near infallibility.
The country had been through the cauldron
of war with Iraq and was bleeding and in disarray. Earlier, as president of
Iran, Khamenei had impressed many with his willingness to consult a wide range
of people and to give precedence to the views of experts over those of the more
impulsive clerics.
Indeed, he was not even an ayatollah – he
was given the title only after Imam Khomeini passed away. Even so, several of
the country's grand ayatollahs opposed the move, pointing to Khamenei's lack of
significant theological contributions and to the fact that his role had been
largely political.
These were ignored by the Assembly of
Experts. They needed a Supreme Leader who would allow them the freedom to make
the country functional again. In particular, Khomeini’s men rallied behind
Khamenei, pointing out that the Imam had himself appointed Khamenei to lead
Friday prayers in Tehran toward the second half of 1989.
For nearly a decade the new Supreme Leader
kept a low profile, in contrast to his predecessor. He allowed the elected
government a genuine say in the administration of Iran, and reined in clerics
who were eager to resume the dominance they enjoyed under Grand Ayatollah
Khomeini.
