Four days after his appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader, the world finally got a glimpse of Mojtaba Khamenei’s worldview.
But Khamenei – now elevated to the rank of Ayatollah and dubbed the “exalted leader” of the Islamic Revolution by his acolytes – didn’t appear on video or release an audio statement.
Instead, he issued a lengthy written message outlining his views on the trajectory of the war, praising the Iranian armed forces and demanding reparations from those who have attacked his country, reports CNN.
The message was quickly disseminated through a new Telegram channel created by his office. It was laden with coded symbolism meant to appeal to his base.
Khamenei said he learned of his appointment from state television, suggesting he too was caught by surprise. He also used flowery language to describe his father, saying he was able to see his dead body after his death – his fist clenched in what he said was a final sign of resistance.
The message was filled with the usual bombastic rhetoric: lauding the “resistance front,” calling on neighbouring countries to shut down US bases while threatening to continue targeting US interests in the region, and doubling down on keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed to global trade.
Thrust into the glare of leadership after years’ operating in the shadows, Khamenei used the message to give a glimpse into his policies, that sounded very familiar to his father’s.
But the central question remains unanswered: the Iranian public and the wider world have still not seen or heard from the new leader, who was reportedly wounded in the opening days of the war. While the statement may satisfy his base, it does little to answer who is truly calling the shots.
