Mojtaba Ali Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, according to Iranian state media reports.
In a post on X, Press TV said, “Iran’s Assembly of Experts has appointed Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Republic”.
Mojtaba Khamenei is the second-oldest son of Ali Khamenei.
Assembly Calls For Unity
According to Al Jazeera Breaking News, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has urged Iranians to maintain unity and pledge support to Khamenei.
Israeli media described Mojtaba as holding a more hard-line stance than his father and alleged that he was behind the violent crackdowns on protesters in Iran.
US Sanctions In 2019
In November 2019, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mojtaba Khamenei. He was designated for representing the then Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.
The US Treasury further said that the then Supreme Leader had delegated part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba Khamenei. It added that he worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and the Basij Resistance Force (Basij) to advance his father’s destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.
Reports had also stated that Mojtaba Khamenei has access to luxury properties in London and accounts in the UK, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Trump’s Remarks On Iran’s Next Leader
The development comes after US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he wanted to play a personal role in the selection of Iran’s next Supreme Leader after the death of Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel joint military strike last week, according to a report by Axios.
In an exclusive interview with Axios, Trump said he wanted to be involved in the appointment of Iran’s next leader, drawing parallels with his role in political developments in Venezuela in January following the capture of its former president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife during a US military operation.
Trump also criticised the potential succession of Mojtaba Khamenei, who had been widely seen as one of the leading contenders for the position.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” Trump said, as quoted by Axios.
Trump further described Mojtaba Khamenei as “unacceptable” and said he would prefer a leader who could bring “harmony and peace” to Iran, warning that continuing his father’s policies could trigger renewed conflict with the United States.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” the US President added, according to Axios.
