Meeting of two dictators, Ali Khamenei and Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania

The initial discussions might gravitate towards the common ground of anti-imperialism, a convenient shared narrative for two regimes often at odds with the West. Ceaușescu, ever the nationalist, would rail against American and Soviet hegemony, presenting Romania as a beacon of independence, while Khamenei would echo similar sentiments, framing Western influence as a neocolonial threat to Islamic sovereignty. However, their approaches would diverge sharply: Ceaușescu’s "independence" was a façade for internal repression and a peculiar brand of national communism, whereas Khamenei’s anti-imperialism was intrinsically linked to a global Islamic awakening and the rejection of secular Western values. This fundamental ideological schism, while temporarily masked by shared grievances, would undoubtedly create an underlying tension.