Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Iran’s Supreme Leader after father’s killing
Reports indicated that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as the country’s new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts.
Sources cited by Deutsche Welle said the Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic’s third Supreme Leader, reportedly under pressure from senior figures including Ahmad Vahidi and Hossein Taeb.
The reported decision follows the killing of Ali Khamenei in recent U.S. and Israeli attacks, marking a dramatic leadership transition during a period of heightened military confrontation.
At the same time, reports said the Secretariat building of the Assembly of Experts in Qom was struck and damaged in an attack, though details remain disputed.
Israeli sources claimed the strike occurred during a leadership vote, while Iranian domestic media acknowledged the attack but denied that a session was underway at the time.
Born in 1969 in Mashhad, Mojtaba Khamenei has long been viewed by analysts as a potential successor, despite never holding a formal government position.
Since 2019, he has been under sanctions imposed by the United States Department of the Treasury, which accused him of representing his father in an official capacity despite lacking a public title.
Independent Iranian media have previously reported that he wields significant influence within Iran’s security establishment, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
As Iran’s third Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei faces mounting internal and external pressures, with the country confronting military threats, economic strain and political uncertainty.
Analysts say he must choose between escalating confrontation with the United States and Israel, risking a prolonged war, or pursuing negotiations, a path that could face resistance from segments of Iran’s political establishment and public opinion.
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