Divya Delhi: Israel's growing attacks on Iran's military and nuclear infrastructure have sparked Tehran's reaction, threatening war. The result could change the Middle East and global power balance. Khomeini, Khamenei's predecessor, made Iran a conservative Shia state and regional powerhouse. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is monitored globally. He has come to represent Iran's unwavering attitude in the crisis through forceful warnings to Israel and religious declarations. The chief, who controls everything, is from Barabanki, an Uttar Pradesh village. Syed Ahmad Musavi Hindi, who moved to Iran from Barabanki, is Khamenei's great-grandfather. Iranian modern history was shaped by this family tie. Pilgrimage turned into migration. Tehran's intransigence under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mirrors Khomeini's.