During his long career, Rafsanjani espoused balance, both among the country's political factions and between Iran and its foreign adversaries, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council and the West. In fact, it was Rafsanjani who first sought to improve Tehran's relationship with the United States in the late 1980s. Because of his history interacting with and speaking for Iranian factions across the political spectrum, Rafsanjani held a unique position in which he was able to speak his mind without facing serious repercussions. In the 1980s, Rafsanjani served alongside Khamenei as a key conservative politician who filled a variety of prominent roles. When Khomeini died in 1989, Rafsanjani argued that Khamenei was undeniably the best candidate to take his place. Yet despite this close alliance, Khamenei and Rafsanjani’s views began to diverge considerably in the 1990s and 2000s, though the disagreements remained rooted in a history of coordination and mutual respect.