Iran Appoints Late Leader’s Son As New Supreme Leader

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the nation’s new supreme leader, state media reported, amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East.

The announcement came on Sunday, following the elder Khamenei’s death in US-Israeli missile strikes last week.

Mojtaba, a mid-50s cleric trained in Qom with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been influential in conservative circles but held no prominent public positions.

Under Iran’s constitution, the assembly of senior scholars appoints the supreme leader, who wields ultimate control over the military, judiciary, and foreign policy.

The transition occurs during intense US-Israeli operations against Iran, which have disrupted global energy supplies and sparked fears of wider warfare.

Ali Khamenei, who led since 1989 after serving as president, was a key figure in the 1979 revolution and maintained hardline stances against Washington and Jerusalem.

His son’s elevation is seen as a move to ensure continuity among influential clerics and political elites.

Putin congratulates Iran’s new supreme leader on ⁠his ​appointment

Russian ⁠President Vladimir Putin congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on ⁠his appointment as Iran’s new supreme ⁠leader, the Kremlin has said.

Putin said he ‌was confident Khamenei would continue his father’s work “with honour” and unite the Iranian ⁠people “in the face of ⁠severe trials”.

He added that Russia would ⁠continue to stand ⁠by Tehran, saying ⁠he wished to “confirm unwavering support for Tehran ‌and solidarity with our Iranian friends”.