[{"n": "Faisal of Saudi Arabia", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/faisal-of-saudi-arabia/", "s": "King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975, modernizer and leader of the 1973 oil embargo."}, {"n": "Gyanendra of Nepal", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/gyanendra-of-nepal/", "s": "Last monarch of the Kingdom of Nepal"}, {"n": "Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/", "s": "Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (born 28 January 1950) is the King of Bahrain, a position he has held since 2002, hav"}, {"n": "Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hamad-bin-khalifa-al-thani/", "s": "Emir of Qatar from 1995 to 2013, architect of modern Qatar's LNG wealth and global influence."}, {"n": "Hamid Karzai", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hamid-karzai/", "s": "First president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, 2004–2014."}, {"n": "Hassan Nasrallah", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hassan-nasrallah/", "s": "Hezbollah leader from 1992 until his assassination in 2024."}, {"n": "Hassan Rouhani", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hassan-rouhani/", "s": "Seventh president of Iran, centrist cleric and nuclear negotiator."}, {"n": "Hibatullah Akhundzada", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hibatullah-akhundzada/", "s": "Reclusive cleric who became Taliban supreme leader and de facto ruler of Afghanistan."}, {"n": "Ilham Aliyev", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/ilham-aliyev/", "s": "Fourth president of Azerbaijan since 2003; son of Heydar Aliyev."}, {"n": "Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/isa-bin-salman-al-khalifa/", "s": "Emir of Bahrain from 1961 to 1999"}, {"n": "Jalal Talabani", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jalal-talabani/", "s": "Iraqi Kurdish politician and 6th President of Iraq (2005–2014)"}, {"n": "Jang Song-thaek", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jang-song-thaek/", "s": "North Korean politician and uncle of Kim Jong Un by marriage."}, {"n": "Jigme Dorji Wangchuck", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jigme-dorji-wangchuck/", "s": "Father of Modern Bhutan"}, {"n": "Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jigme-khesar-namgyel-wangchuck/", "s": "The Dragon King who guided Bhutan into democracy and champions Gross National Happiness."}, {"n": "Jigme Singye Wangchuck", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jigme-singye-wangchuck/", "s": "The fourth King of Bhutan who introduced Gross National Happiness and oversaw the transition to democracy."}, {"n": "Kim Jong-il", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/kim-jong-il/", "s": "Second supreme leader of North Korea"}, {"n": "Fouad Chehab", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/fouad-chehab/", "s": "Lebanese general and president who became the first commander of the modern army."}, {"n": "Hafez al-Assad", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hafez-al-assad/", "s": "Syrian president who consolidated absolute power over three decades."}, {"n": "Hafizullah Amin", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hafizullah-amin/", "s": "Afghan revolutionary and communist head of state, assassinated in 1979."}, {"n": "Hassan II of Morocco", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hassan-ii-of-morocco/", "s": "King of Morocco who centralized power and led the Green March."}, {"n": "Hassanal Bolkiah", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hassanal-bolkiah/", "s": "Sultan of Brunei since 1967, absolute monarch and head of state."}, {"n": "Heydar Aliyev", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/heydar-aliyev/", "s": "Former Soviet politburo member and President of Azerbaijan who built an autocratic system and a lasting cult o"}, {"n": "Hun Sen", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hun-sen/", "s": "Longest-serving Cambodian head of government and de facto leader."}, {"n": "Hussein of Jordan", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/hussein-of-jordan/", "s": "Hussein bin Talal, born in Amman on 14 November 1935, was the eldest child of Talal bin Abdullah and Zein al-S"}, {"n": "Islam Karimov", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/islam-karimov/", "s": "Islam Abduganiyevich Karimov (30 January 1938 – 2 September 2016) was an Uzbek politician who became the count"}, {"n": "Ismail Haniyeh", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/ismail-haniyeh/", "s": "Hamas political leader and former Palestinian prime minister."}, {"n": "Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jaber-al-ahmad-al-sabah/", "s": "Emir of Kuwait who led through the Gulf War."}, {"n": "Jiang Qing", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/jiang-qing/", "s": "Revolutionary, actress, and fourth wife of Mao Zedong."}, {"n": "Kim Il-sung", "u": "/e/asian-and-middle-eastern-monarchs-and-strongmen/kim-il-sung/", "s": "Founder and eternal leader of North Korea."}]