Mojtaba, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, chosen as Iran’s new Supreme Leader: Report

Tehran: Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader by the country’s Assembly of Experts, according to a latest media report.

“The Assembly of Experts elected Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as the next Supreme Leader,” Iran International reported, citing informed sources.

According to the outlet, Mojtaba, 56, has been chosen to take charge of the country’s top leadership position.

He is the second-eldest son of Ali Khamenei and has for years been regarded by observers and analysts as a possible successor within Iran’s clerical establishment.

His reported elevation to the highest office in the Islamic Republic is expected to carry political sensitivity, particularly as it comes only days after his father was killed in a series of joint US-Israeli strikes that have since spiralled into a broader armed confrontation across the Middle East.

The Islamic Republic has historically positioned itself as an ideological alternative to hereditary monarchy and has been openly critical of dynastic rule. A transition of authority from father to son could therefore invite scrutiny and raise questions about the system’s adherence to its stated principles.

Iran International further alleged that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) exerted significant pressure on the clerical body to support Mojtaba’s appointment.

“The IRGC heavily pressured the assembled group of clerics to select Mojtaba as the regime’s new leader,” the outlet reported.

The Supreme Leader occupies the apex of Iran’s intricate power structure and holds ultimate authority over state affairs. The position includes serving as commander-in-chief of the armed forces as well as overseeing the powerful Revolutionary Guard, which was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States in 2019.

During Ali Khamenei’s tenure, the Guard substantially broadened its reach across Iran’s political, military and economic institutions.

The report added that Mojtaba maintains close ties with the Revolutionary Guard and is believed to exercise considerable influence behind the scenes.

He is said to have effectively managed the Office of the Supreme Leader in practice and has long been viewed by analysts as a central power broker within Iran’s governing framework.

Mojtaba is described as a mid-ranking cleric who served in Iran’s armed forces during the Iran-Iraq war.

Over the years, he has been widely perceived as maintaining strong connections with the IRGC, further reinforcing his standing within the country’s power structure.

IANS