The intellectual worldview of Ayatollah Khamenei is incomplete without a thorough examination of his sociological blueprint for Iranian society. His speeches, writings, and policies collectively form a carefully constructed framework that not only seeks to define the Islamic Republic’s domestic architecture but also establishes its cultural defences against external forces. His ideas on family, class, youth, and women are tightly interwoven with his broader political and ideological mission.
Khamenei consistently frames the family unit as the most sacred and fundamental institution of society. His critique of Western imperialism is not confined to politics or economics; rather, he asserts that the true battlefield lies within the home. The cultural invasion, in his view, is most effective when it weakens the bonds of family through the promotion of individualism, materialism, and the commodification of human relationships.
In multiple public addresses, Khamenei has emphasised that the family is the sanctuary of moral education and the first line of resistance against Western cultural infiltration. He argues that when families collapse under the weight of imported cultural models, the nation itself loses its capacity for self-determination. His policy emphasis on early marriage, multi-generational family structures, and the social responsibility of both parents is deeply intertwined with his belief that the survival of the Islamic Revolution depends on the integrity of the family unit.
Youth: The Guardians of the Revolution
Iranian youth occupy a central position in Khamenei’s ideological narrative. On the one hand, he views the younger generation as the primary target of the “soft war” waged by the West. He has repeatedly warned of the dangers posed by Western media, social networks, and consumer culture in shaping the aspirations and identities of Iranian youth. In his view, these forces aim to sever young Iranians from their cultural and religious roots.
Yet Khamenei also perceives youth as the guardians of the revolution and the architects of Iran’s future. His numerous speeches directly addressing young people are not merely rhetorical gestures; they are strategic interventions intended to mobilise a generation he sees as susceptible to foreign influence. Khamenei encourages youth to embrace Islamic values while simultaneously urging them to develop technological expertise and intellectual independence.
His outreach to Western youth, especially through carefully curated open letters, demonstrates his ambition to position himself as a moral authority beyond Iran’s borders. In these letters, he implores young Europeans and Americans to question the narratives of their governments and to seek out Islam from its authentic sources, rather than through the lens of hostile Western media.
Khamenei and the Class War
Khamenei consistently identifies himself with the mustazafin, the oppressed classes, positioning the Islamic Republic as a government that serves the downtrodden against the global arrogant powers, the mustakbirin. This language is not mere rhetoric; it is also foundational to his worldview. The Islamic Republic, in Khamenei’s formulation, is not just a state but a moral movement that defends the dispossessed.
His anti-imperialist narrative often merges class struggle with cultural identity. He accuses Western capitalism of both economic exploitation and cultural erosion, presenting Iran as a unique outpost of resistance. However, the internal contradictions of this narrative are evident. Iran’s economic stratification, systemic corruption, and the widening gap between the elite and the working class challenge the sustainability of this claim. Nevertheless, Khamenei continues to advocate for policies that theoretically align with social equity, including state subsidies and support for domestic industries.
Is Khamenei a Women hater?
Khamenei’s views on women are one of the most debated aspects of his sociological vision. He firmly rejects Western feminism, describing it as a Zionist plot aimed at destabilising societies by undermining the family. Instead, he promotes what he calls “gender justice,” which emphasises the inherent differences between men and women while advocating for their complementary social roles.
In public addresses and policy endorsements, Khamenei has consistently argued that women should be respected and empowered within the boundaries of Islamic modesty. His government promotes female education, particularly in science and technology, but within a framework that prioritises family obligations.
Interestingly, Khamenei’s social media communications present a more nuanced position. He often shares advice for men to be emotionally attentive to women, and he emphasises love and mutual respect within marriage. This bifurcation, hardline policy at the institutional level, softer personal advice at the social level, reveals a strategic balancing act. Khamenei seeks to project cultural empathy without conceding ideological ground to Western feminist paradigms.
How Khamenei views Western Pop Culture
Khamenei’s critique of Western pop culture is not simply a reaction to changing tastes; it is part of his broader assessment of cultural imperialism. In multiple speeches and writings, he has condemned Hollywood films, popular Western music, and social media trends as deliberate tools of psychological warfare. He argues that the spread of these cultural products erodes Islamic values, weakens familial structures, and promotes hedonism.
His policies reflect this stance. Iran’s media landscape has been shaped by strict censorship and the active promotion of domestically produced cultural content. Khamenei has urged Iranian artists, filmmakers, and musicians to engage in “cultural jihad” by producing works that fortify Islamic identity and resist Western narratives.
Despite the chains he has fastened upon the artist, the Supreme Leader of Persia, Khamenei, understands well that the pen and the lens are weapons no less potent than the sword. Though he curtails their liberty, he does not deny their utility. Rather, he commands that they march in the service of doctrine. By exalting films that sing the virtues of revolution and by demanding books that poison the roots of Western influence, he reveals a truth known to all wise rulers: that in the contest for dominion, culture must be made an instrument of power, and the imagination of men must be bent toward obedience.
Note: This is the second part in our series of articles explaining the ideological worldview of Ali Khamenei. We recommend our audience to read the first part here.
About the author: Kishan Kumar is a graduate in Economics from the University of Delhi with a strong interest in politics, policy, and media. Follow him on X (Twitter): @FreezingHindoo.
Note: The opinions in the article are those of the author alone and do not reflect the Editorial Line of ForPol.
