Ali Khamenei was convinced of his own stature, and while other leaders in his broader circle of ‘friends’ showed more prowess, he denied the signs that he didn’t hold as much influence as he had thought.
The fervour of the Iranian people in parts guided his thinking on the matter, helping him to believe that trouncing America was not just possible, but close at hand. He didn’t see this as a far off goal, if not a futile dream born of imagination.
He made great efforts to find friends over current matters, but he didn’t see the bridges built. While Iran has power in the region, it’s not of a similar diplomatic sort that we have, or other free nations enjoy. It doesn’t open doors, it closes them, and this has been its only real effect.
He wasn’t a dominant figure, or prone to believing in a new world order, but his actions came close to it, even if he didn’t say it. He had every leader of the West in his crosshairs, sparing no-one because he believed in the supremacy of Islam, and the greatness of his god. This affected his politics more than we know.
