Ayatollah Khamenei’s Views on the Duties and Powers of the Leader in Iran’s Political System: A Thematic Analysis

This paper explores the duties and powers of the leader in Iran’s political system from the perspective of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader. In this regard, the leader’s responsibilities and powers can be classified into three areas: 1) guidance; 2) supervision; and 3) support. It is important to note that the leader does not have executive responsibility except in the armed forces. His primary function is to provide “guidance”, which is primarily reflected in the system’s macro policy-making. The leader’s powers are not unlimited and must conform to the constitution, laws passed by the parliament, and government approvals. Additionally, he must adhere to religious and Sharia frameworks. For this study, data was gathered through library and documentary research techniques. The data were subsequently analyzed using the Thematic Analysis method with the help of MAXQDA software.