Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran’s Supreme Leader After Father’s Death
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s Assembly of Experts on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, state media reported, following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in recent strikes by the United States and Israel.
The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, a mid-ranking cleric, comes amid ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel. While Iran’s political ideology generally discourages hereditary succession, Mojtaba Khamenei has long been considered a potential successor, cultivating a strong following within the powerful Revolutionary Guards and maintaining ties to his father’s influential office.
The clerical body stated it “did not hesitate for a minute” in selecting a new leader despite “the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime.”
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, died in the U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to Iranian authorities.
The decision has drawn immediate reaction from international leaders. U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the younger Khamenei as a “lightweight” and asserted he should have a say in the appointment, stating, “If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long.”
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected any external interference, stating the decision was Iran’s alone and demanding Trump “apologise to people of the region” for initiating the conflict.
Israel’s military previously warned any successor that it “will not hesitate to target you.”
The Revolutionary Guards swiftly pledged allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei, promising “complete obedience and self-sacrifice” in carrying out his commands.
The appointment signals a potential victory for hardliners within Iran’s ruling establishment, according to analysts.
Inputs from Reuters and AFP