Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s next supreme leader, state media reports, following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. US President Donald Trump previously said Khamenei’s son would be an “unacceptable” choice. The announcement came hours after Israel launched new strikes that hit oil storage facilities in Tehran.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran?
Mojtaba Khammenei never gave a Friday sermon. He has never run for office, never addressed a public rally, and—according to most reports—never let his voice be heard by the general Iranian public. Yet Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has spent decades quietly amassing power in the heart of the Islamic Republic, cultivating ties to Iran’s most feared security establishment and positioning himself as the inevitable heir to his father’s absolute authority.
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Now, after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli strike on his territory in Tehran on Saturday, February 28, Mojtaba Khamenei has been formally chosen as Iran’s new supreme leader — an ascension that signals that hard-line factions of the establishment remain firmly in control and that the prospect of near-term negotiations or a more distant diplomatic settlement may be remote.
How was Mojtaba Khamenei selected as Supreme Leader?
Iran’s Assembly of Experts – an 88-member clerical body empowered by the constitution to choose the country’s supreme leader – confirmed the appointment on Sunday, calling the result a “decisive vote”. In a statement carried by state media, the assembly called on all Iranians, “especially elites and intellectuals from seminaries and universities,” to “pledge loyalty to the leadership and preserve unity.”
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The speed of the selection — within days of the elder Khamenei’s death — reflects both the pre-existing consensus on Mojtab’s candidacy within the establishment and the urgency of projecting continuity during an active military conflict. The younger Khamenei was reportedly not present at his father’s compound when he was hit and has so far survived the ongoing campaign.
His mother, wife and one of his sisters were killed in the same attack that killed the elder Khamenei.
A dynasty that the Islamic Republic has denied for years
The manner in which Mojtaba Khamenei came to power carries a historical irony that is not lost on Iranians of a certain age. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 that swept away the Pahlavi monarchy was partly a revolt against inherited dynastic rule. Mojtab’s ascension to the position of supreme leader – succeeding his father, who held absolute power for 36 years – effectively restores the very dynastic model that the revolution claimed to have abolished.
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It is a sensibility that Mojtaba Khamenei was clearly aware of during the years of preparation. He has never publicly addressed the question of succession, a topic considered politically toxic precisely because of what his elevation would represent. Instead, he cultivated influence through institutions—notably the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—rather than through a public platform that might require scrutiny.
Deep roots in the IRGC – and decades of influence
Mojtaba Khamenei’s ties to the IRGC are not accidental; they are fundamental to understanding its rise. He served in the Habib Battalion during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and formed relationships with fellow soldiers who subsequently rose to senior positions in Iran’s security and intelligence apparatus. These networks supported his authority for decades, even as he maintained the outward appearance of a cleric rather than a political operator.
In recent years, opponents and human rights organizations have linked his name to some of the most violent repression in the Islamic Republic. During the 2009 Green Movement – which erupted after the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – the reformist camp in Iran first accused Khamenei of manipulating election results and directing the Basij IRGC paramilitary force against peaceful protesters.
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Basij forces have since been at the center of a gradual crackdown, most recently during protests two months ago, in which the United Nations and international human rights groups say state forces killed thousands of people, mostly on the night of January 8-9. The Iranian establishment attributes the killings to what it describes as “terrorists” and “rioters” backed by the United States and Israel – a characterization it has consistently used in several rounds of unrest.
The financial empire and the exposure of sanctions
Outside the political and security spheres, Khamenei has also been linked – through investigative reporting by Western media – to a sizeable financial empire encompassing assets in many countries. His name is not believed to appear directly in the alleged transactions; he is said to have moved significant sums through a network of associates and insiders connected to the Iranian establishment.
Bloomberg connected Khamenei with Ali Ansari, whose Bank Ayandeh was forcibly dissolved by the Iranian state after it collapsed under the weight of insider loans and accumulated debt — a failure that pushed Iran’s already-robust inflation higher and required partial compensation from public funds. Neither Khamenei nor Ansari have commented publicly on the reported connection. Separate allegations include the acquisition of luxury properties across European countries.
Khamenei is currently subject to US and Western sanctions.
A religious rank that required a solution – and May again
There is also the question of religion. Mojtaba Khamenei holds the rank of hojatoleslam — a middle cleric designation — rather than the higher rank of ayatollah typically associated with the top leadership. It is the same challenge his father faced when he assumed the role in 1989: the elder Khamenei was also not an ayatollah at the time of his appointment, and the relevant law was amended to accommodate him.
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A similar legislative or administrative adjustment is widely expected for Mojtaba, although the exact mechanism — and timing — remains to be determined, especially as Iran continues to impose nationwide internet blackouts and information restrictions amid an ongoing bombing campaign.
What Mojtaba Khamenei’s Ascension Means for the Iran War
For those watching the conflict, the most serious consequence of Mojtaba Khamenei’s election may be what it signals about Iran’s short-term strategic position. Analysts noted that his rise represented a clear consolidation of power by hardline factions — those with the least appetite for compromise and the deepest institutional interest in continued resistance.
Whether the supreme leader, who built his authority through the IRGC and has never faced public accountability, will prove willing to negotiate an end to the war that has killed his father, mother, wife and sister is a question that can be answered in the coming weeks — though few regional observers expect an early resolution.
