Washington/Tehran, March 4 (.) Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been elected as the Iran’ new Supreme Leader by the country’s clerical body, the Assembly of experts, Iran International reported.
The decision was taken by Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body tasked with selecting and supervising the Supreme Leader. The move formally concludes the succession process that began after Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on February 28 in strikes targeting his residential compound in Tehran.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, had led the Islamic Republic since 1989, making him one of the longest-serving heads of state in the region. His tenure spanned critical phases in Iran’s modern history, including prolonged tensions with the United States, regional proxy conflicts, international sanctions, and fraught nuclear negotiations with world powers.
The strikes that killed him also claimed the lives of several members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, later died from injuries sustained in the attack.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the late leader would be buried in the holy city of Mashhad. A large public mourning ceremony is expected in Tehran, though officials have not yet confirmed the burial date.
In the immediate aftermath of Khamenei’s death, a temporary three-member Leadership Council assumed his constitutional responsibilities.
The council comprised Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. Their role was to ensure continuity of governance until the Assembly of Experts selected a permanent successor.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation to the top post marks a significant and closely watched transition in Iran’s political system. Though he has never held any elected office, Mojtaba has long been considered an influential clerical and political figure within conservative circles.
Over the years, he was believed to wield considerable behind-the-scenes influence, particularly within the security establishment and among senior clerics in Qom.
The leadership change comes amid a sharp escalation in regional hostilities. The US-Israeli operation on Iran is being conducting under the codename “Operation Epic Fury” was launched amidst the ongoing nuclear negotiations.
The strikes reportedly hit multiple locations across Iran, including Tehran, with casualty figures running into the hundreds, according to various accounts.
Within hours of the attack, Iran retaliated with missile launches targeting US and allied interests in the Gulf region. Some projectiles struck areas in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain. The conflict rapidly widened as Tehran vowed to avenge the killing of its Supreme Leader.
US President Donald Trump warned that it was “too late” for Iran to return to negotiations to avoid war, signaling a hardening stance from Washington. Meanwhile, Israel expanded military operations, including pushing troops deeper into southern Lebanon following renewed hostilities with the Tehran-backed group Hezbollah.
On the fourth day of fighting, a drone strike triggered a fire at the US consulate in Dubai.
Mojtaba Khamenei now assumes leadership at one of the most volatile moments in the Islamic Republic’s history. As Supreme Leader, he will command ultimate authority over Iran’s armed forces, judiciary, state broadcasting, and key strategic policies, including nuclear and foreign affairs.
Mojtaba will be taking critical decisions egarding military escalation, nuclear policy and relations with regional rivals that will shape not only Iran’s internal political trajectory but also the broader security landscape of West Asia.
The coming days are expected to test the resilience of Iran’s political institutions and the new Supreme Leader’s ability to consolidate authority amid intensifying external pressure and internal uncertainty as Trump has told lawmakers it is not yet possible to knowthe full scope and duration of US strikes on Iran.
. .