Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been appointed Iran’s new supreme leader, state media reports confirm. The 56-year-old cleric assumes leadership following a devastating U.S. and Israeli strike that killed his father, mother, wife, and one of his sisters. Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly not present during the attack and survived the initial bombing.
This decision was made by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader. In a statement circulated on Sunday, the assembly said the appointment was made by a “decisive vote” and called on all Iranians, particularly the elites and intellectuals of seminaries and universities, to pledge allegiance to Khamenei and maintain national unity.
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Mojtaba Khamenei has never run for office or been subjected to public elections. However, he has been a prominent figure within the inner circle of the late supreme leader for decades, maintaining close ties with the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In recent years, he was widely considered a top contender to succeed his father.
Analysts note that the younger Khamenei’s appointment signals the continued dominance of hardline factions within Iran’s political establishment and may limit prospects for negotiations or foreign agreements in the immediate future. Observers also highlight the sensitive nature of his succession, as it marks the first direct transfer of supreme leadership within a family since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, evoking comparisons to monarchical succession.
The ascension of Mojtaba Khamenei comes amid ongoing military strikes in Tehran, marking a period of heightened tension for Iran both domestically and internationally.