The Foundations of Legitimacy in Ayatollah Khamenei’s Thought

Legitimacy of political systems has always been the center of attention due to its importance and sensitivity. Many opinions and viewpoints, therefore, have been mentioned in relation to the legitimacy of the religious democracy. In this paper we aim to analyze fundamental factors of legitimacy in Ayatollah Khamenei’s viewpoint. The paper has been carried out in a descriptive-analytical method and is based mostly on the words and speeches given by the supreme leader. Studies show that from in his viewpoint, legitimacy has multiple pillars and factors. In fact, from Ayatollah Khamenei’s viewpoint, the government and the ruling body are required to have religious legitimacy as well as public acceptance. They also have to enforce their power in line with legal procedures and be efficient and successful in realizing their goals and objectives in order to provide total legitimacy for the entire government.