Khamenei came also to oppose the Shah, becoming one of the leaders of the anti-monarchy protest movement sweeping the country in the 1960s and 70s, and used lectures and sermons to advocate for a form of government based on Islamic law. Khamenei held a number of government positions in the years that followed, including head of the newly created Revolutionary Guards — a branch of the armed forces with a mandate to protect the newly formed Islamic Republic, including from other branches of the military. While Khamenei was not a marja at the time, as was required by the constitution (a marja being a senior Twelver cleric, usually a grand ayatollah, with the power to make legal decisions) the assembly nevertheless chose to honour Khomeini's wishes and appoint Khamenei to the position, by a vote of 60 to 14.
Author: Andrew Thorpe
Published at: 2026-02-28 23:11:29
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