Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new Supreme Leader

New Delhi, Mar 9: Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at his compound in Tehran during the first wave of coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel troops last week, the Iranian media reported, as quoted by the BBC.

The announcement came after Iran’s 88 members of the Assembly of Experts convened amid threats and wartime tensions. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the clerical body proceeded with the selection despite what he described as threats by US President Donald Trump to bomb the gathering. Larijani said Iran’s “enemies believed the country would reach a deadlock” following the death of the long-serving Supreme Leader, but the Assembly moved quickly to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as his successor.

Soon after the announcement, Iran launched what state media described as the first wave of missile strikes under the leadership of the new Supreme Leader.

The broadcaster shared an image of a projectile bearing the slogan “At Your Service, Sayyid Mojtaba”, signalling loyalty to the new leader. Medi reports further suggest that supporters took to the streets in several Iranian cities to celebrate the appointment, presenting it as a show of resilience despite the escalating conflict with Israel and the United States.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) endorsed Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership. A statement carried by semi-official Tasnim news agency described him as an “all-encompassing jurist, a young thinker and the most knowledgeable on political and social issues.” The IRGC pledged “respect, devotion and obedience” to the new leader, adding that its members were ready for “complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands of the Guardian Jurist.” The Revolutionary Guards, an elite force tasked with protecting the Islamic Republic of Iran, wield strong influence across Iran’s security apparatus, politics and economy.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has long been viewed as one of the most influential figures behind the scenes in Iran’s power structure. For decades he operated largely out of public view while serving as a key aide and gatekeeper to his father, who ruled Iran as Supreme Leader for more than three decades.

Analysts and critics have frequently accused Mojtaba of wielding quiet influence over Iranian politics, including alleged involvement in presidential elections, commanding the Basij militia and maintaining close ties with the Revolutionary Guards. Despite speculation about his growing power, he never held a formal government position. Mojtaba joined the IRGC shortly after finishing high school during the Iran-Iraq war and later studied under senior clerics, building networks within both the clerical establishment and the security apparatus.

His rise also carries symbolic weight. Both his father and the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had previously criticised hereditary succession in reference to the monarchy overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Two years ago, Ali Khamenei himself had reportedly ruled out his son as a successor.

Yet with Iran facing one of the gravest crises since the revolution, the leadership appears to have chosen continuity over ideological reservations. In 2019, Mojtaba Khamenei was sanctioned by the United States as part of a group accused of acting on behalf of the Supreme Leader, reports the BBC.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation to the top office signals continuity at a time when Iran’s ruling establishment is fighting what it perceives as an existential battle. However, analysts say his authority may initially be far weaker than that of his father, who spent more than three decades consolidating control over Iran’s political, clerical and military institutions.

The real balance of power is likely to rest with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose rapid endorsement suggests the security establishment played a decisive role in ensuring a smooth transition, reports the BBC. Mojtaba Khamenei now faces the difficult task of handling Iran’s internal leadership while confronting external pressure from the United States and Israel.