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Khamenei's Grip Tightens Amidst US Strikes and Regional Turmoil

2/21/2026

42 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has consolidated power over three decades by suppressing dissent.
Protests occurred in 2009, 2017, 2019, and 2022 and were met with violent crackdowns.
Khamenei built the Revolutionary Guard into a dominant force and created the Axis of Resistance.
Recent events include a US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria, weakening this alliance.

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Story summary

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has consolidated power over three decades by suppressing dissent.
Protests occurred in 2009, 2017, 2019, and 2022 and were met with violent crackdowns.
Khamenei built the Revolutionary Guard into a dominant force and created the Axis of Resistance.
Recent events include a US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities and the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria, weakening this alliance.