World Leader

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Supreme Leader of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran

OVERALL RANK

#74of 712

WORLD LEADER RANK

#60of 492

Total Quotes

Positive0%

Neutral0%

Negative100%

Sentiment Breakdown

Quote Timeline

Coverage by Category342 total

Geopolitics98%

Social Impact0.9%

Global Economy0.6%

Other1%

Analysis

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei received 342 quotes during Davos 2026, all with negative sentiment framing. Though not attending the forum, his statements about Iranian protests and accusations against President Trump dominated geopolitical coverage. The January 19 spike of 258 quotes followed his acknowledgment that thousands died during recent unrest, generating widespread international criticism.

Khamenei's presence in Davos coverage represents the shadow side of geopolitical discussions. Without attending the forum, his statements generated 342 quotes, all framed negatively by international media. This stands in stark contrast to peers like Andrii Sybiha (73.7% positive) and demonstrates how coverage of authoritarian figures at global gatherings often serves as criticism.

The coverage spike on January 19 (258 quotes) followed Khamenei's acknowledgment that 'thousands of people were killed during the unrest.' His subsequent accusations that Trump 'intervened directly' and encouraged 'seditious people' with promises of military support provided Western media with quotable confrontational statements.

The source distribution reveals an unusual pattern. Beyond Business Standard (14) and CBC News (10), coverage came primarily through American local TV stations: WPBN, WACH, KFXL, KVAL each with 8 quotes, followed by WGME, WEAR, and WZTV with 7 each. This suggests wire service distribution rather than dedicated international coverage.

Khamenei ranks 60th among 492 world leaders in quote volume, demonstrating that controversy generates coverage regardless of attendance. The 98% concentration in geopolitics (335 quotes) reflects media interest in US-Iran tensions amid discussions of Middle East realignment at the forum.

Key Findings

• Received 100% negative sentiment across all 342 quotes, the worst coverage among comparable leaders
• Coverage concentrated on January 19 with 258 quotes (75% of total), driven by protest death acknowledgment
• Geopolitics accounted for 335 of 342 quotes (98%), with coverage spread across US local stations
• Accused Trump of directly fueling demonstrations and promising military support to protesters
• Business Standard (14) and CBC News (10) led coverage among identifiable major outlets

Coverage by Source

Business Standard14

CBC News10

Euronews English8

WPBN8

WACH8

KFXL8

KVAL8

WGME7

WEAR7

WZTV7

Sample Quotes

“In this revolt the U.S. president intervened directly,”

WGME

“guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation.”

KOMO

“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged over the weekend that thousands of people were killed during the unrest.”

WEAR

“Khamenei accused President Trump of directly fueling the demonstrations by publicly supporting protesters and calling for new leadership in Tehran.”

WZTV

“blamed the United States for the deaths.”

CBC News

“In this revolt, the US president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: 'We do support you, we do support you militarily'”