Iran on Monday officially named Mojtaba Khamenei, son of late Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new Supreme Leader. The announcement came even as US President Donald Trump had been insisting that Washington should have a role in determining Iran’s future leadership.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Ali Khamenei, was elected to the position by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which urged the Iranian public to remain united and pledge support to the new leader.
“By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts has appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the body said in a statement.
Born in 1969, Mojtaba joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after completing secondary school in 1987. He served in the force toward the end of the Iran–Iraq War. In 2021, he was granted the title of Ayatollah, fulfilling the constitutional requirement for holding the position of Supreme Leader.
His elevation signals that Iran’s hardline establishment remains firmly in control, even as the country’s conflict with Israel and US forces has entered its tenth day.
According to CNN, Mojtaba’s appointment suggests that Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards and allied factions have emerged from the initial phase of the conflict more determined to continue the policies and legacy of Ali Khamenei.
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Israeli media outlets have described Mojtaba as more hardline than his father and have linked him to the violent crackdowns on protests in Iran. Reports say his close ties to both the clerical establishment and security forces — particularly the IRGC — have placed him in a uniquely influential position within the Iranian power structure.
Trump told ABC News on Sunday that he wanted a say in who would lead Iran once the war ends, warning that any new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval. The US president reportedly refused to comment on the new appointment, only saying: “We’ll see what happens.”
Israel has already declared that it would target whoever assumes the position of Supreme Leader. Ali Khamenei, Iran’s long-serving Supreme Leader, was killed in one of the first strikes carried out by US and Israeli forces more than a week ago.
Maha Yahya, director of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center, told CNN that Mojtaba’s appointment appears to be a signal from the Iranian regime that US-Israeli military pressure will not force Tehran to change its stance.
It is only the second time since the Iranian Revolution that Iran has selected a new Supreme Leade, a post that holds ultimate authority in the country, with the final say on major decisions including war, peace, and Iran’s controversial nuclear programme.
Some media outlets, however, suggest that Mojtaba Khamenei may not wield the same level of authority as his father, Ali Khamenei, who consolidated his power over more than four decades. Instead, Mojtaba’s immediate role now might be trying to referee between the different splits within the senior parts of the regime, according to a report by BBC.
