SAEDNEWS: In a striking admonition, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly instructed his four sons to avoid commercial pursuits—or else relinquish the “Khamenei” surname and associated privileges.
According to Saed News, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, has issued an unprecedented warning to his four sons: “I do not approve of your entry into the economy. If you insist, you must change your family name and abandon the title ‘Khamenei.’” Cited by the Tasnim News Agency and recounted by veteran cleric Ayatollah Kazemini, the directive underscores the Leader’s persistent emphasis on personal austerity and the symbolic separation of spiritual authority from material gain.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Khamenei household has cultivated a reputation for modest living. None of the Leader’s children hold formal government posts; instead, they devote themselves to religious scholarship in Qom. A senior aide noted that “the Leader’s sons are purely engaged in seminary studies and have no executive roles,” pointing out that one son, Mustafa, lectures on advanced jurisprudence in Qom’s hawza.
Analysts suggest the admonishment serves two strategic purposes: reinforcing the revolutionary ethos of piety and integrity at the apex of power, and pre-empting allegations of nepotism amid soaring public frustration over economic hardship. With inflation exceeding 50% and widespread discontent over perceived corruption, the message is clear: even the ruling family must not blur the line between office and profit.
Observers will now watch whether any scion tests the edict—and if the Supreme Leader will enforce his own exacting standard.
