Iran has officially named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes on February 28.
The announcement was made by Iranian state media, confirming that the powerful Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba Khamenei to lead the Islamic Republic.
The Assembly of Experts is an 88-member body of elected senior clerics responsible for appointing and supervising Iran’s Supreme Leader.
The body has chosen a new leader only once before since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 when Ali Khamenei was selected after the death of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, more than three decades ago.
Leadership Change Amid War
The leadership transition comes at a time of heightened conflict in the Middle East following the killing of Ali Khamenei during the ongoing confrontation involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The late leader had ruled Iran since 1989 and was widely regarded as the most powerful figure in the country, overseeing the military, judiciary, and key political decisions.
Profile of the New Leader
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is the second son of the late Supreme Leader. Though he has not held any official position within the Iranian government, he is believed to wield considerable influence behind the scenes.
He has close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Iran’s most powerful military force and its Basij volunteer paramilitary wing.
However, Mojtaba is not considered a high-ranking cleric, which has raised questions among some observers about his religious credentials for the role.
In 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned him, accusing him of working with commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force and the Basij militia to advance what Washington described as his father’s destabilizing regional agenda and oppressive domestic policies.
The appointment is already drawing international attention.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington must be involved in the process of selecting Iran’s next leader and warned that the choice of Mojtaba Khamenei would be “unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, Israeli sources claim that Mojtaba was previously targeted in an airstrike last week, though intelligence officials believe he survived the attack with injuries.
