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BEIRUT/TEHRAN — Iran’s clerical leadership has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new Supreme Leader, state media announced early Monday . The decision came just hours before Iran launched fresh missile strikes toward Israel, which responded with attacks on Tehran and Beirut .
👑 Succession Amid War
The 88-member Assembly of Experts, a body of senior Shiite clerics, convened in Tehran to select Iran’s third Supreme Leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution . The vote occurred just nine days after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes that plunged the Middle East into a widening war .
State television announced the decision with a solemn statement: “Mojtaba Khamenei is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts” .
The clerical body emphasized it “did not hesitate for a minute” in choosing a successor despite what it described as “the brutal aggression of criminal America and the evil Zionist regime” .
🔍 Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has long operated in the shadows while wielding significant influence behind the scenes . Unlike his father, who served as president before becoming Supreme Leader, Mojtaba has never held elected or formal government office .
Key aspects of his background:
- Military ties: Joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 1987 at age 17 and reportedly served on the front lines during the Iran-Iraq war
- Religious education: Studied Islamic theology in the holy city of Qom after the war
- Political influence: Allegedly helped engineer Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 2005 presidential victory
- Wealth: Estimated net worth exceeds $100 million, with investments in London and Dubai real estate
- Sanctions: Designated by the U.S. Treasury in 2019 for his role in advancing his father’s policies
Analysts describe him as even more hardline than his father. “Mojtaba is even worse and more hardline than his father,” said Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat and Iran specialist. “He’s going to have a lot of revenge to exact” .
🔄 Power Centers Rally Behind New Leader
Key Iranian institutions quickly pledged loyalty to the new Supreme Leader:
The swift consolidation of support suggests the regime is projecting stability and continuity amid escalating conflict .
🇺🇸 Trump’s Warning
President Donald Trump had repeatedly stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was “unacceptable” as a successor. In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, just hours before the announcement, Trump warned: “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long” .
Before his death, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was also asked about succession and had described the idea of his son taking over as “forged by the enemies” .
Israel has also issued threats. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned last week that the new Supreme Leader would become “a target,” and the military has vowed to go after any successor .
💥 Missile Strikes and Retaliation
Shortly after the succession announcement, Iran launched missile strikes toward Israel, with state media showing projectiles bearing the slogan “At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba” .
The Israeli military confirmed it was striking central Iran and Beirut early Monday . Sirens sounded in major Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa as missiles approached, with defense systems activated to intercept incoming threats . One woman in central Israel sustained moderate injuries from flying rocks caused by missile debris .
The multi-front war has also expanded to Gulf nations:
- Saudi Arabia: Intercepted drones headed toward the Shaybah oil field; two civilians killed in Al-Kharj province
- Bahrain: Iranian drone attack wounded 32 civilians, including a 17-year-old girl and a two-month-old baby
- Kuwait: Fire at fuel tanks in Kuwait International Airport after missile strikes
- Qatar: Intercepted an Iranian missile; two civilians killed in Saudi Arabia’s Kharj region
📉 Economic Impact
Global oil prices briefly topped $100 per barrel for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago, surging 30% on supply disruption fears . Asian markets plunged as key economies Japan and South Korea, heavily dependent on energy imports, reacted to the escalation .
The U.S. State Department has ordered non-essential personnel to leave Saudi Arabia . More than 32,000 Americans have departed the Middle East since the conflict began .
🔮 What Comes Next
Analysts say Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation signals that Iran’s hardline leadership has chosen confrontation over compromise. “They’re doubling down on the hard line,” said Paul Salem of the Middle East Institute. “Internally, it’s terrible—and deeply destabilizing” .
The new leader faces immense challenges: an escalating war with superior military powers, a battered economy, soaring inflation, and a population that has shown increasing willingness to protest . Iranian opponents of the government could be heard chanting “Death to Mojtaba” from their windows in Tehran following the announcement .
With both sides showing no willingness to de-escalate and Israel vowing to target the new leader, the Middle East remains on a knife’s edge as the war enters its tenth day.
