In a historic and highly contentious decision amid ongoing regional war, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
Kabul 24: This announcement, confirmed by state media and reported widely by international outlets including BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Iran International, marks the first time power has transitioned within the same family since the 1979 Revolution.
Mojtaba Khamenei, born September 8, 1969 (aged 56), is the second son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that ignited the current conflict. He completed his early education at the Alavi School in Tehran before pursuing advanced religious studies in Qom’s seminaries.
His teachers included prominent figures such as Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, Ayatollah Mohsen Kharrazi, and Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpayegani.
Mojtaba participated in the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988) and held informal command roles in Basij forces, though he has never held public political office.The selection occurred under extraordinary circumstances following Ali Khamenei’s assassination.
Reports from sources like Iran International indicate that the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) exerted significant pressure on the 88-member Assembly of Experts to choose Mojtaba quickly, despite internal dissent over the risks of “hereditary leadership” and questions about his religious credentials compared to his father. Some members reportedly opposed the move, warning it could undermine the legitimacy of the velayat-e faqih system.
Mojtaba Khamenei, long regarded as a shadowy but influential figure behind the scenes, is married to the daughter of former parliament speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, strengthening ties to key regime insiders. Supporters portray him as deeply committed to revolutionary principles and familiar with his father’s ideological vision, while critics view the appointment as a step toward dynastic rule and further consolidation of hardline control during wartime.
The Assembly issued a statement calling for national unity and allegiance to the new leader amid escalating attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including oil facilities.
As the Islamic Republic faces its gravest crisis in decades—with U.S. President Donald Trump declaring the choice “unacceptable” and vowing continued pressure—the tenure of Mojtaba Khamenei will be defined by his ability to navigate internal divisions, military challenges, and international isolation.
