Mojtaba Khamenei Takes Power as Iran’s Supreme Leader

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Tehran: Iran’s Assembly of Experts has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state media. The leadership change comes after Ali Khamenei was killed during the first wave of US and Israeli strikes last week. Supporters of the Iranian regime have taken to the streets in celebration following the announcement.

Born on 8 September 1969 in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Mojtaba Khamenei is the second of six children of the late leader. He completed his secondary education at the Alavi School in Tehran and later pursued religious studies. At the age of 17, he served briefly in the military during the Iran–Iraq War, a conflict that shaped Iran’s deep mistrust of the United States and Western nations.

In 1999, Mojtaba moved to the holy city of Qom, a major centre of Shia Islamic scholarship, to continue his religious education. Unlike his father, he has largely remained out of the public eye, never holding a formal government position or delivering public speeches. Only a limited number of photos and videos of him have been released over the years.

Despite his low public profile, Mojtaba is believed to have wielded significant influence behind the scenes. US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s described him as “the power behind the robes,” suggesting he played a key role within the Iranian political establishment. Analysts say his close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have strengthened his position within the ruling system.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB and the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency published a statement from the Revolutionary Guards welcoming his appointment. The statement praised Mojtaba Khamenei as an “all-encompassing jurist and young thinker” and pledged loyalty and obedience to his leadership. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reportedly told Fox News he was “not happy” with the appointment, though he has not yet commented publicly.

Photo Credit: X/@IrnaEnglish