Iran's supreme leader has dismissed a US offer of one-to-one talks on Tehran's nuclear programme.
The Guardian Council, a body of theologians and jurists, is loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Such figures, he says, can exert a moderating influence on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Herman Zweibel, founded Fars with the government approval of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini.
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His globetrotting at the supreme leader's behest is making Mr Khatami's government look ever more irrelevant.
The nation's supreme leader repeated that message in a long speech on February 16.
"Mojtaba" is Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
By contrast, Khaled Meshal, the movement's supreme leader in exile in Syria, says the opposite.
The conservatives, backed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's supreme leader, hold him back.
And he effectively transformed Khamenei from the "supreme leader" into a creature of Ahmadinejad's will.
They were there to send a very sharp message from the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, called fruitlessly on all factions to end their feuding.
Kim Jong-un (No. 44) replaced his father as supreme leader of North Korea in late 2011.
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But the real power in Iran rests in the hands of the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameni.
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has appealed to the citizenry to stand behind the Islamic republic.
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Before Moussavi formally appealed the election result, supreme leader Khamenei closed the door for any possible compromise.
Mr Aghajari's sentence is now under judicial review following an order from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
There's also much speculation that Ayatollah Mezbiazdi may have his eye on unseating the current supreme leader.
The ayatollah had questioned the comprehensive power of Iran's supreme leader, suggesting he should be directly elected.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday derided the West, saying Iran would not bend to pressure.
The supreme leader is seeking a more malleable replacement for Mr. Ahmadinejad, according to political analysts potentially Mr. Jalili.
Mr Ahmadinejad's influence has been waning since he fell out of favour with the supreme leader last year.
Mr Putin's stunts will help him retain his image, in the eyes of many, as Russia's supreme leader.
Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, a learned and independent-minded cleric, was once Khomeini's anointed successor as supreme leader.
In theory they have the job of "monitoring the performance" of the Supreme Leader, or even dismissing him.
Pulling the other way have been Hamas's backers, Syria (where Hamas's supreme leader, Khaled Meshal, resides) and Iran.
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Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Monday that Tehran will continue to pursue nuclear technology, despite the U.N.
He said Washington was prepared to hold one-to-one talks with Iran "when the Iranian leadership, supreme leader, is serious".
Does it go all the way up to Ahmadinejad and the Supreme Leader?
Millions more Iranians have Azeri ancestry, including Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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