Political and religious power in Iran is held by the Supreme Leader, standing above the president and parliament. Ayatollah Khomeini established this precedent in 1979 after the upheaval of the Iranian Revolution. This justification of clerical power, velayat-e faqih, or guardianship of the Islamic clerics, has been controversial in its application during Khomeini's rule, and that of his successor, Ayatollah Khameini. Dr. Mohsen Kadivar of Duke University, imprisoned in 1999 for his criticism of the government, explains the history of this guardianship, the context during both Khomeini and Khameini's time, and the range of views among the ulema (religious clerics) toward the regime in Iran.