An Open Letter to Ayatollah Khamenei

Your Eminence,

I write with a heavy heart after the devastating airstrikes of 13 June 2025, in which Israeli aircraft hit dozens of Iranian military and nuclear sites, causing great loss of life--including senior commanders and scientists--in a violation of Iranian sovereignty constituting an act of war. May God grant His mercy to all innocent victims and fortitude to their families.

It is hard to promote peace between parties with conflicting frameworks, historical grievances, and trust deficits, especially when calls for retaliation ring louder than calls for reconciliation, in an environment where diplomacy has failed and the gates of hell open. But it is possible.

Imam Ali taught that prophets were sent "to awaken the buried treasures of the intellects." (Nahj-al-Balagha) Researchers from Tehran to Tubingen now probe consciousness itself with advanced neuro-imaging, pursuing the same treasure Imam Ali extolled, albeit in scientific rather than juridical language, and these efforts have borne fruit that attests to the vitality of the tree of knowledge.

For generations, the light of Islam thrived on the poetic insights of Sufi saints who captured the spiritual essence of Islam through highly creative use of language, architecture, and art, alongside ulama who safeguarded divine law, highlighting that the struggle against tyranny and for justice takes diverse forms.

It would therefore be wise to consider theological definitions of justice and tyranny in light of the growing science of human consciousness. It is not only advisable but a prerequisite to the development of artificial intelligence capable of moral and ethical reasoning. The recently elected Pope Leo XIV follows the teachings of Saint Augustine who shared Ali's emphasis on the buried treasures of the intellect, and the true nature of ultimate reality. This could be seen as an opportunity to build an interfaith bridge to a shared horizon for peace, where Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Daoists, and Agnostics could live in harmony.

When faced with a war he judged unwinnable, Imam Hasan signed a peace treaty with Muawiya to safeguard the faithful, even at the cost of short-term prestige. His choice did not diminish his honour; rather, it preserved the community until a more just era could emerge. Pragmatic decisions such as this created space for the remembrance of Ali and Hussain across the world. Advancements in neuroscience and artificial intelligence can validate the teachings of Ali if seen without theological bias, which they may challenge with intellectual credibility.

As a citizen of planet Earth, I request you to approach negotiations with the West based on this philosophical perspective so that a sustainable peace can be attained rather than a fragile peace spent on preparations for Armageddon.

I understand that the trust deficit is immense, yet overcoming it has never been more feasible. I propose using artificial-intelligence systems capable of deep reasoning over vast bodies of scripture, philosophy, and case law for this purpose. A jointly governed, open-source knowledge engine--co-hosted in Qom and Rome and overseen by the United Nations--could serve the Expediency Council as an impartial reference when weighing maslahat against the demands of justice.

May the same Lord Who rescued Ibrahim from the fire guide us all from the brink of a wider conflagration. May He replace talk of Armageddon with talk of ilm, adl and ibada--knowledge, justice and worship--in a world where every seeker, whether in Tehran or Tel Aviv, might safely unearth the treasures buried in the human mind.

With reverence and hope.