Iran’s state media announced early Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei has been selected as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
According to reports, the decision was made by Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of elected senior clerics responsible for choosing the nation’s supreme leader. The body has exercised this role only once before since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979—when Ali Khamenei himself was selected after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini more than three decades ago.
Controversial Selection
The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has already stirred international reaction. US President Donald Trump said last Thursday that he should be “involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader and described the selection of Khamenei’s son as “unacceptable.”
Mojtaba Khamenei is the second son of the late leader and has long been seen as a powerful figure behind the scenes in Iran’s political structure. Despite not holding an official government role or being a high-ranking cleric, he is believed to have significant influence within the country’s security establishment.
Ties to Iran’s Military Power
Analysts say Mojtaba maintains strong connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), widely regarded as the most powerful military institution in Iran. He is also said to have links with the Basij, a paramilitary group that operates under the IRGC.
In 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on Mojtaba Khamenei, accusing him of working closely with commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force and the Basij to advance what Washington described as his father’s “destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.”
Survived Recent Israeli Strike
An Israeli source familiar with the matter revealed that Israel also targeted Mojtaba in a strike last week. However, intelligence assessments suggest he survived the attack and may have been injured.
His sudden elevation to the position of Supreme Leader marks a significant turning point for Iran, raising questions about the future direction of the country’s leadership, regional policy, and its tense relationship with the United States and Israel.