The Supreme Leader was one impressive baby

Golnaz Esfandiari reports a very strange story making the rounds about Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Shia Muslims regard Muhammad’s son-in-law and successor, Ali, as the most important religious figure after the prophet): In a video that’s making the rounds and was reportedly aired on Iranian state television, [Ayatollah Mohammad] Saeedi tells his audience ...

By , a former associate editor at Foreign Policy.
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images

Golnaz Esfandiari reports a very strange story making the rounds about Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Shia Muslims regard Muhammad's son-in-law and successor, Ali, as the most important religious figure after the prophet):

Golnaz Esfandiari reports a very strange story making the rounds about Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Shia Muslims regard Muhammad’s son-in-law and successor, Ali, as the most important religious figure after the prophet):

In a video that’s making the rounds and was reportedly aired on Iranian state television, [Ayatollah Mohammad] Saeedi tells his audience an anecdote about the birth of Khamenei. He says Khamenei’s half-sister has said that the midwife who was helping Khamenei’s mother give birth told her that when Khamenei was about to leave his mother’s body, he said, "Ya Ali," to which the midwife responded, "May Ali protect you."

That’s pretty impressive, though not quite in the same league as Kim Jong Il’s double rainbow.

Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating

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