Of Tea and Thrift: An Old Story Reveals Khamenei’s Frugal Instincts

According to Saed News, an interview with Ali Akbar Safarkhani—a former presidential tea attendant and father of a slain Iran–Iraq war commander—has brought to light an intimate moment from Ayatollah Khamenei’s early executive years. The episode, simple in form but telling in substance, highlights a value system that continues to shape Iran’s top political figure: austerity in service of principle.

The scene took place during Khamenei’s presidency in the 1980s. At the end of a formal meeting, Safarkhani was gathering the tea cups he had served earlier—many of which remained untouched and had gone cold. Khamenei, noticing the waste, summoned him. “Don’t place the tea in front of the guests,” he advised. “Offer it—let them take it if they wish. Return the rest to the pot. There’s no need for waste.”

This granular attentiveness, bordering on the monastic, has long been a feature of the Supreme Leader’s public persona. Though its practical impact may seem modest, the story underscores a political philosophy in which symbolic gestures carry weight. In a nation weary of economic hardship, such anecdotes—however unverified or anecdotal—contribute to a cultivated image of integrity and conscientious stewardship.

Safarkhani also recalled a more personal moment: when Khamenei, recognising him from his post in the presidential kitchen, personally offered him a ride to meet Ayatollah Khomeini after repeated failed attempts. Such gestures, quietly remembered, are often recycled into soft power—reinforcing the Supreme Leader’s moral authority at home even as Iran faces mounting international pressure abroad.