Indigenous Knowledge
80%The concept of the supreme leader in Iran's theocratic system draws heavily from indigenous Shia Islamic traditions, which emphasize the importance of spiritual guidance and authority. However, the modern Iranian model of the supreme leader is a product of the 1979 revolution and the country's complex history of modernization and Westernization. As Mojtaba Khamenei rises to power, it is essential to examine the ways in which indigenous Shia Islamic traditions continue to shape the country's politics and society.