Reports suggesting that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s illness could lead to a major internal power struggle within the next few weeks, if the rahbar (supreme leader) departed the political scene, were premature. Khamenei (born 17 July 1939 in Mashhad) left hospital on 15 September, one week after undergoing prostate surgery. He immediately spoke to state media – and made headlines worldwide – stating that in no way would Iran join the US-led coalition combating Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Reports that he had been suffering an aggressive form of prostate cancer seemed to have been much overstated.