SAEDNEWS: A newly circulated photo of Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Hadi Khamenei—brother of Iran’s Supreme Leader—engaging in traditional Persian “Varzesh-e Bastani” has stirred interest across Iranian media, offering a rare glimpse into the private life of the influential clerical family.
=According to Saed News, an intriguing image has surfaced showing Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Hadi Khamenei, the younger brother of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, actively engaged in Varzesh-e Bastani, or traditional Persian athletics—a blend of martial training, Sufi discipline, and ancient Iranian sport.
While the exact date and location of the photo remain unverified, the image captures Khamenei clad in athletic garb, mid-motion in what appears to be a zoorkhaneh—a traditional domed gymnasium where these rituals are performed to the beat of rhythmic drumming. The scene underscores a deep-rooted cultural continuity in Iran’s political elite, where faith, history, and physical vigor are often interwoven.
Born in 1947 in Mashhad, Hadi Khamenei hails from the prominent Mir-Damadi family, originally from Isfahan, with deep scholarly and religious credentials. He is the third son of the late Seyyed Javad Hosseini Khamenei, a cleric of notable influence.
While known primarily for his political dissent and clerical activity—often at odds with the establishment—this photo adds an unexpected dimension to his public image: that of a man still connected to Iran’s historical ethos through physical tradition.
The emergence of this image, though seemingly mundane, echoes a broader narrative of how Iran’s clerical figures, often portrayed in strictly ideological terms, also participate in rituals and practices that reflect the nation’s cultural DNA—balancing piety with physical discipline, and doctrine with heritage.
