Ali Khamenei, 86, is one of the only world leaders who is even older than Joe Biden
Editor’s note: Unlike Tucker Carlson, the author of this piece has been to Iran and is qualified to weigh in on all matters pertaining to the country’s future.
Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s behavior in response to Israeli strikes that have decimated his country’s military has grown increasingly bizarre and incoherent, raising serious questions about his fitness to serve. Khamenei, 86, is one of the only world leaders who is even older than Joe Biden, 82, the former U.S. president who was forced to end his reelection campaign after Democrats finally acknowledged he was too addled to perform. A Washington Free Beacon analysis of Khamenei’s public statements since the start of Israel’s preemptive attack found compelling evidence to suggest the supreme leader is also suffering from severe cognitive decline. For the good of the country, his Iranian compatriots should urge him to step down. The Islamist regime, like the Democratic Party, could use a change.
Khamenei is believed to be in a “difficult mental state” due to the fact that most of his senior officers have been killed and he’s having a “hard time with the replacements.” This is precisely how an individual with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease would react under those circumstances. Familiarity and routine are profoundly important when caring for someone with a memory disorder, according to the Alzheimer’s Project. “Persons with dementia thrive on familiarity,” the Florida-based nonprofit writes on its website. “Familiarity is important because dementia gradually impairs a person’s ability to plan, initiate, and complete an activity.” A disruption to a familiar routine can lead to an increase in “undesired behaviors such as aggression, restlessness and agitation.”
It’s no surprise, then, that in recent days the supreme leader has become increasingly aggressive, restless, and agitated. Khamenei has lashed out at “the evil, despicable, terrorist Zionist identity” and repeatedly vowed to inflict “heavy blows” that never materialized, raising concerns about his grasp of reality. He warned, with considerable delusion, that the Iranian “triumph” and “conquest” over Israel was “imminent.” We’re still not sure what that means, although Iran did launch a handful of missiles at Israel last night that inflicted no casualties. Delusions, or “strongly held false beliefs,” are commonly associated with cognitive decline, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.
Dementia-related delusions can also manifest as heightened levels of paranoia, which Khamenei has displayed by banning Iranian citizens from taking photos and videos in the aftermath of Israeli strikes. Iran International, a London-based media outlet, reports that in his televised addresses since the bombing started, Khamenei has appeared “diminished” while “speaking slowly.” Dementia researchers in the United Kingdom have found that slowed speech may be a more accurate indicator of cognitive decline than forgetting words. Dementia is also associated with poor physical function—a recipe for disaster when mixed with an addled individual’s delusions regarding their capabilities. For example, sources inside Iran report that Khamenei recently attempted to ride a bicycle in his secret underground lair. It did not go well.
To paraphrase the honorable actor George Clooney and the esteemed members of the New York Times editorial board: Apart from the war against Israel, the one war Ali Khamenei cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. Is it fair to point these things out? It has to be. This is about age. Nothing more. The supreme leader is not the Ali “Death to America” Khamenei of 1989. He’s not even the Ali Khamenei of 2020. It is disingenuous, at best, to argue that the Iranian people have already spoken with their vote and therefore the supreme leadership is settled and done. Would it be messy? Yes. Democracy is messy. As it stands, the supreme leader is engaged in a reckless gamble. Ending his reign would be against all of Mr. Khamenei’s personal and political instincts. But it is the best chance to protect the soul of the nation. And it is the best service that Mr. Khamenei can provide to a country that he has ignobly served for so long.