After Khamenei: Iran’s Political Culture and the Struggle for Its Future

As Iran approaches the twilight of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rule, the Islamic Republic faces a moment of profound uncertainty. The regime’s ideology has hardened even as society has outgrown it, and the question of what—or who—comes next will shape not only the lives of Iran’s 92 million citizens but also the balance of power across the Middle East. What kind of political order might follow Khamenei’s rule? How will Iran’s political culture influence its next chapter? And what are the implications for the United States and the wider region as the Islamic Republic enters its autumn? Join Nazee Moinian, associate fellow at the Middle East Institute, as she moderates a panel discussion to explore these issues with Karim Sadjadpour, senior fellow in Carnegie's Middle East Program; Ali Ansari, professor of Iranian history at the University of St Andrews and founding director of the Institute for Iranian Studies; and Robin Wright, contributing writer and columnist for The New Yorker. Like and subscribe to our channel: https://bit.ly/38sljlH The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace generates strategic ideas and independent analysis, supports diplomacy, and trains the next generation of international scholar-practitioners to help countries and institutions take on the most difficult global problems and advance peace. Visit our website: https://carnegieendowment.org/ Follow us on X: https://x.com/CarnegieEndow Follow us on Instagram:   / carnegieendow