Ali Khamenei Net Worth

What is Ali Khamenei's Net Worth?

Ali Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of Iran and a Shia Cleric who has a net worth of $50 thousand. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is one of the most powerful and enigmatic figures in the modern Middle East. As the Supreme Leader of Iran since 1989, he wields more authority than the country's elected presidents, commanding final say over Iran's military, judiciary, media, and foreign policy. Trained as a cleric in the city of Qom, Khamenei rose to prominence as a close disciple of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After serving briefly as president during the volatile post-revolutionary period, Khamenei ascended to the highest office in the land following Khomeini's death—despite not holding the traditional religious qualifications for the role.

For over three decades, he has outmaneuvered rivals, consolidated Iran's political elite, and survived intense international pressure. While maintaining a public image of piety and simplicity, Khamenei has also been linked to a vast financial and real estate empire—reportedly worth upwards of $200 billion—controlled through a little-known organization called Setad. His combination of religious legitimacy, military backing, and economic power has made him the undisputed leader of Iran and a central player in global geopolitics.

Early Life and Religious Education

Ali Hosseini Khamenei was born on July 17, 1939*, in the city of Mashhad, Iran, into a family of modest clerical means. His father was a respected religious scholar, and Khamenei followed a traditional path of Islamic studies, eventually studying in the theological center of Qom. There, he came under the influence of senior Shi'a scholars, including Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, whose anti-monarchist teachings would profoundly shape his worldview.

*Note: Some sources list 1939, others 1935—official Iranian biographies tend to give 1939.

Revolutionary Credentials

Khamenei became politically active in the 1960s, opposing the Shah's secular, pro-Western regime. He was arrested multiple times, spent time in prison, and was briefly exiled. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution overthrew the Shahalso known as Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Khamenei emerged as a key figure in the new Islamic Republic, holding posts in the Revolutionary Council and later becoming Iran's third president in 1981 following the assassination of his predecessor.

As president during the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Khamenei worked closely with the powerful clerical and security establishments. Though he lacked the theological rank of marja (source of emulation), which was traditionally required to become Supreme Leader, his loyalty to Ayatollah Khomeini and strategic connections positioned him as the acceptable successor upon Khomeini's death in 1989.

Supreme Leader

Khamenei's appointment as Supreme Leader marked a turning point. Over the following decades, he gradually expanded the role beyond what even Khomeini had envisioned. Through his authority over the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the judiciary, and media, Khamenei has exerted near-total control over Iranian politics. Presidents and parliamentarians come and go, but Khamenei remains at the center of power—approving legislation, influencing elections, and shaping foreign policy from behind the scenes.

He has also overseen Iran's controversial nuclear program, weathered economic sanctions, and responded to domestic uprisings with both repression and selective reform. Khamenei's leadership is often characterized as pragmatic authoritarianism: deeply ideological, but adaptive when necessary to maintain regime stability.

Getty Images

$200 Billion Alleged Empire

Despite his austere public image, Khamenei has long been linked to a vast and largely opaque financial empire centered around an organization called Setad (short for Setad Ejraiye Farmane Hazrate Emam, or "The Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam").

Originally created in 1989 to manage and sell off properties abandoned after the 1979 revolution, Setad was supposed to be a temporary entity. Instead, under Khamenei's direction, it evolved into a sprawling economic conglomerate with holdings in real estate, telecoms, banking, and pharmaceuticals. According to a 2013 Reuters investigation, Setad controlled assets worth at least $95 billion—a figure that U.S. officials later suggested could be closer to $200 billion.

Setad has acquired many of its assets through controversial means, including property seizures from religious minorities like the Baha'i community and from individuals with ties to the Shah's regime. Though technically not for personal use, the revenues and control of Setad reside under Khamenei's office, giving him immense financial power with little accountability.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Setad's influence extended into healthcare, producing Iran's first domestic vaccine, COVIran Barekat. In a symbolic gesture, Khamenei received the vaccine on live television—both a public health endorsement and a reminder of Setad's role in Iranian life.

Personal Life

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is married to Mansoureh Khojasteh Baqer Zadeh, whom he wed in 1964. The couple has six children—four sons and two daughters—though little is publicly known about them due to the tightly guarded nature of the Supreme Leader's private life. His children have generally avoided the political spotlight, although some, like Mojtaba Khamenei, have been rumored to hold significant influence behind the scenes.

Who's Richer?

Ali
Khamenei

Compare!

Hassan
Rouhani