Tehran: Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as Iran's new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, according to Iran International citing informed sources.
“The Assembly of Experts elected Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as the next Supreme Leader,” the outlet reported.
Mojtaba, the second-eldest son, has long been seen as a potential successor within Iran's clerical elite. His rise comes days after his father's death in joint US-Israeli strikes that have escalated into wider Middle East conflict.
The move carries political weight: Iran has long rejected hereditary rule as monarchical, positioning itself as an ideological alternative. A father-to-son handover could spark debate over the system's principles.
Iran International alleged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pressured clerics to back Mojtaba. “The IRGC heavily pressured the assembled group of clerics to select Mojtaba as the regime’s new leader,” it said.
As Supreme Leader, Mojtaba would command the armed forces and oversee the IRGC—designated a terrorist group by the US in 2019. Under Ali Khamenei, the Guard expanded deeply into politics, military, and economy.
Mojtaba reportedly wields behind-the-scenes influence, managing the Leader's Office and maintaining close IRGC ties. A mid-ranking cleric, he fought in the Iran-Iraq War and is viewed as a key power broker.
(Inputs from IANS)