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Ali Khamenei becomes Iran's Supreme Leader... China's Tian An Men Square atrocity... Jewish survivors of "Voyage of the Damned"...



Item # 723836

June 05, 1989

LOS ANGELES TIMES, June 5, 1989  

* Ali Khamenei becomes Iran's Supreme Leader
* Following Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's death 
* Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing, China

The front page has a two column heading: "Iran Mourns; New Leader Is Chosen" with subhead: "President Khamenei Takes Khomeini Spiritual Role to Avert Power Struggle" and photo. (see images) More inside. 
Also on the front page is a banner headline: "Firing Convoys Roam Beijing" with subheads and related photo.
Complete 1st section only with 28 pages, nice condition.

AI notes: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the country’s founding leader. Prior to this, Khamenei had served as Iran’s president from 1981 to 1989, building a reputation as a staunch supporter of the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary principles. Upon Khomeini’s death, the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader, elected Khamenei on June 4, 1989, despite him not being the most senior cleric at the time. To accommodate his leadership, Iran’s constitution was amended that year to broaden the qualifications for the position, allowing a leader without the highest rank in religious scholarship to assume the role. Since his appointment, Khamenei has maintained ultimate authority over Iran’s political, military, and judicial institutions, shaping both domestic policies and foreign relations, and has remained a central figure in the country’s governance for over three decades.
 

Category: The 20th Century