page_title: Supreme Leader of Iran
section_title: Functions, powers, and duties of the Supreme Leader
hierarchical_section_title: Supreme Leader of Iran / Functions, powers, and duties of the Supreme Leader
caption_attribution_description: English: Swedish Prime Minister in meeting with Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accompanied him
context_page_description: The Supreme Leader of Iran, also referred to as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, but officially called the Supreme Leadership Authority, is the head of state and self-appointed political and religious authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The armed forces, judiciary, state television, and other key government organizations are subject to the Supreme Leader. The current longtime officeholder, Ali Khamenei, has been issuing decrees and making the final decisions on economy, environment, foreign policy, education, national planning, and other aspects of governance in Iran. Khamenei also makes the final decisions on the amount of transparency in elections, and has dismissed and reinstated presidential cabinet appointees.
  The Supreme Leader directly chooses the ministers of Defense, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, as well as certain other ministers, such as the Science Minister. Iran's regional policy is directly controlled by the office of the Supreme Leader with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' task limited to protocol and ceremonial occasions.
context_section_description: Duties and Powers given to the Supreme Leader by the Constitution, decrees and other laws are:
  Delineation of the general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in consultation with the Nation's Expediency Discernment Council.
  Supervision over the proper execution of the general policies of the systems.
  Resolving conflicts between the three branches of the government
  Issuing decrees for national referendums.
  Supreme command over the Armed Forces.
  Declaration of war and peace, and the mobilization of the armed forces.
  Ability to veto laws passed by the parliament.
  Appointment, dismissal, and acceptance of resignation of:
  the members of Expediency Discernment Council.
  the members of Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.
  two personal representatives to the Supreme National Security Council.
  Can delegate representatives to all branches of government. Ali Khamenei has currently around 2000 representatives.
  the six fuqaha' of the Guardian Council.
  the supreme judicial authority of the country.
  ministers of defense, intelligence, foreign affairs, and science.
  the head of the radio and television network of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  the chief of the joint staff.
  the chief commander of the armed forces of the country
  the highest commanders of the armed forces.
  Can dismiss and reinstate ministers.
  Resolving differences between the three wings of the armed forces and regulation of their relations.
  Resolving the problems, which cannot be solved by conventional methods, through the Nation's Expediency Discernment Council.
  Signing the decree formalizing the elections in Iran for the President of the Republic by the people.
  Dismissal of the President of the Republic, with due regard for the interests of the country, after the Supreme Court holds him guilty of the violation of his constitutional duties, or after an impeachment vote of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament) testifying to his incompetence on the basis of Article 89 of the Constitution.
  Pardoning or reducing the sentences of convicts, within the framework of Islamic criteria, on a recommendation (to that effect) from the head of the Judiciary. The Supreme Leader may delegate part of his duties and powers to another person.
  Confirms decisions of the Supreme National Security Council.
  Control over Special Clerical Court.
caption: Ali Khamenei with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, 2017
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