ولی فقیه

What it is

ولی فقیه (vali-ye faqih), “the guardian jurist.” The office that velâyat-e faqih constitutes. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Two holders to date: Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (February 1979 to his death in June 1989), then Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (June 1989 to present). Khamenei was elevated by the Assembly of Experts within hours of Khomeini’s death; the constitution was amended later that year to lower the qualifications, since Khamenei was not a marja’ (a source of emulation, the senior Shia rank traditionally required).

The mechanics

The vali-ye faqih is appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts (88 clerics, themselves elected from a candidate list pre-vetted by the Guardian Council, six of whose twelve members the Leader appoints). He commands all armed forces, including the regular Army, the IRGC, FARAJA (police), and the Basij. He appoints the head of the judiciary, the head of state broadcasting (IRIB), the Friday-prayer leaders, and the heads of major foundations. He confirms or rejects the elected president. He controls Setâd-EIKO, Bonyâd-e Mostaz’afân, and Âstân-e Qods-e Razavi (Mashhad shrine), institutions that together hold a majority of the Iranian non-oil economy.

Sanctions and designations

The US sanctioned the Supreme Leader’s office on 24 June 2019 under Executive Order 13876, plus Khamenei personally. Treasury added Setâd-EIKO subsidiaries in 2020 and 2021. The EU has sanctioned individual figures around the office for human-rights violations.

In our voice

Khamenei has held office since June 1989. He has outlasted seven US presidents, six Iranian presidents (he reduces or amplifies them as he likes), four wars on Iran’s borders, the Green Movement, the Âbân uprising, the Mahsa uprising. He gave the order to crush the November 2019 fuel protests; Reuters reported his words inside the cabinet meeting: “Do whatever it takes to end it.” Between 304 and 1,500 Iranians died in the next four days. His office decided that Mahsa Jina Amini’s death in police custody would be denied rather than investigated. His office decided which of the protesters arrested in 2022 would be hanged (at least 9 confirmed by Iran Human Rights, more in the pipeline). He is referred to in Persian polite-state media as âghâ (“the master”) or maqâm-e mo’azzam-e rahbari (“the exalted Leadership”). Iranians outside the regime apparatus more often call him simply “Khamenei,” a small grammatical act of refusing the rest. The constitution calls him a guardian. The job description, after thirty-six years, is closer to autocrat with theological branding.

Why it’s in this glossary

Because pretending Iran has a “spiritual leader” who stands above politics is the line the regime sells abroad and the line some Western coverage repeats. He runs the politics. He runs the economy. He runs the prisons. The role of the office in Iranian life cannot be understood through the religious title alone. Mahsa Jina Amini died in custody on his watch.

How to use it

• دفتر رهبری (daftar-e rahbari) “the Office of the Leader”
• ولی فقیه دستور داد (vali-ye faqih dastur dâd) “the Supreme Leader gave the order”
• بیت رهبری (beit-e rahbari) “the Leader’s house” (the institutional cluster around him)

References

• Dehkhoda: vali
• USIP Iran Primer, role of the Supreme Leader
• US Treasury, sanctions on the Supreme Leader’s office, 24 June 2019
• Reuters Special Report, Khamenei order on Âbân 98 crackdown
• Iran Human Rights, executions of Mahsa-uprising protesters