From a quiet UP village to Tehran’s corridors of power: The Indian ancestry of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

West Asia faces a critical moment. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's lineage traces back to Syed Ahmad Musavi from Uttar Pradesh. Musavi's journey from Kintoor to Najaf and later Iran shaped his descendants. Ruhollah Khomeini, a grandson, led Iran's Islamic Revolution. Khamenei, the current leader, continues this legacy. His Indian connection highlights complex identities amid regional tensions.