X has removed a blue checkmark from the account of Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, despite US sanctions against him. This comes despite X's own policy barring sanctioned individuals from purchasing premium accounts. Khamenei's English-language X account had about 175,000 followers and had a subscription for X Premium. The company's monetization rules explicitly bar users in Iran from cashing in on the platform. The premium X account can offer revenue-generating features such as ad-sharing payouts, paid subscriptions, and tips. Despite this, Khamenei has been on the Treasury Department's sanctions blacklist since 2019 and is deemed a “Specially Designated National.” He took power earlier this month after Iran’s Assembly of Experts elevated him to supreme leader.