Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei maintained second place. Waldman compared Teitelbaum to Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini. The executions took place based on a fatwa by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. Others disagree with the policies implemented by Ayatollah Khomeini, and/or his successor, Ali Khamenei. The Islamist group that ultimately prevailed contained the core supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini. His father was an ayatollah and close to Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini became a "marja"' in 1963, following the death of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Husayn Borujerdi. On two occasions, when he expressed his opinion of Ayatollah Khomeini, he was punished severely. But that was enough to ignite the anger of Ayatollah Khomeini. The leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini led to many paradoxical issues for women. He is generally referred to as Ayatollah Khomeini by others. After the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, many of the restrictions on women were lifted. Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani was elected as his replacement. Most prominent among these was the Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. In Qom he studied under Grand Ayatollah Hossein Broujerdi.