Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei as new Supreme Leader

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint US–Israeli strikes.

The 56-year-old cleric was selected by senior religious authorities on Sunday to succeed his father and is now expected to guide the Islamic Republic through what analysts describe as the most serious crisis in the country’s 47-year history, Al Jazeera reported.

Soon after the announcement, key power centers in Iran — including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the armed forces — pledged their support to the newly appointed leader.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, who has been overseeing the country’s security strategy since the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military offensive, called for national unity behind the new supreme leader.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also welcomed the decision, saying that following the new leader was both a “religious and national duty.”

Mojtaba Khamenei has never held elected office or been subjected to a public vote. However, he has long been considered an influential figure within his father’s inner circle and is believed to have built strong ties with the IRGC over several decades.

In recent years, he had increasingly been viewed as a leading candidate to succeed his father. His appointment could signal that hardline factions within Iran’s political establishment continue to hold significant influence and may indicate little willingness to pursue negotiations as the conflict enters its second week.

Earlier, Israel’s military warned that any successor to Iran’s leadership could also be targeted.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump again said Washington would seek to influence the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader, adding that anyone chosen without US approval “is not going to last long.”

sa