On March 8, Iran's Assembly of Experts announced that Ayatollah Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has been elected as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, succeeding his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by a joint U.S.-Israeli military strike on Tehran on February 28.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, assumes the country's highest authority at a critical moment for Iran. His predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei, led the country for more than three decades after assuming the role in 1989. The elder Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in Tehran at the beginning of the current conflict.
The strike also killed several members of his family, including Mojtaba's mother, his wife, and his son.
The announcement came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any Supreme Leader chosen without Washington's approval "would not remain in power for long."
Trump had earlier told Axios that Mojtaba Khamenei was among the leading candidates to succeed his father but described the possibility as "unacceptable." He also suggested that the United States should have a role in determining Iran's next leadership, drawing comparisons to political developments in Venezuela.
Israel had also issued stark warnings prior to the appointment, stating that any successor to Ali Khamenei would be considered "a confirmed assassination target."
The United States and Israel launched their unprovoked coordinated military campaign against Iran on February 28, resulting in the deaths of senior Iranian officials and military commanders.
As of March 10, the official death toll is 1,400 persons, including 200 children, and thousands of injuries in Iran. Israel reports 28 deaths with about 3,000 injuries. The U.S. has reported seven soldiers killed.
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei is widely regarded as one of the most enigmatic figures within Iran's political establishment.
Unlike his father, he has largely maintained a low public profile throughout his life. He has never held an official government position, rarely delivers public speeches, and has given virtually no media interviews. Only a limited number of photographs and videos of him exist in public circulation.
In 2019, the U.S. Treasury Department placed Mojtaba Khamenei under sanctions, claiming he effectively represented the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite holding no elected or formal government position.
Domestic Support and Official Pledges of Loyalty
President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei, saying the appointment "heralds the beginning of a new phase of dignity and strength for the Islamic Republic."
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the selection, given the "dangerous current circumstances," would safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity while strengthening national unity.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also issued a statement expressing full support for the Assembly of Experts' decision and affirming its readiness for "complete obedience and self-sacrifice."
Images later circulated showing celebrations across parts of Iran, with citizens waving national flags and lighting their mobile phones in public gatherings.
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