Mojtaba Khamenei has been elected as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint air strike conducted by the United States and Israel.
The appointment, which ends intense speculation regarding the leadership vacuum in the Islamic Republic, was confirmed in a report by Iran International on Wednesday.
According to the report, the Assembly of Experts, the 88-member body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader, made the final decision under direct pressure from the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei is known as a powerful yet behind-the-scenes figure in the Iranian establishment. Born in Mashhad in 1969, he grew up during the revolutionary movement against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a period during which his father was frequently arrested and exiled.
Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the family moved to Tehran, where Mojtaba attended the Elite Alavi High School, an institution known for educating individuals close to the ruling elite. He later pursued religious studies in Tehran and Qom, studying under influential figures including the conservative cleric Ayatollah Muhammad-Taqi Misbah-Yazdi, according to the state-run media outlet UANI.
Although Mojtaba is a mid-level cleric and does not hold the rank of Ayatollah, he has long been considered a “gatekeeper” and a powerful shadow figure within the Supreme Leader’s office.
Analysts have often compared his role to that of Ahmad Khomeini, who served as a primary confidant to his father, Ruhollah Khomeini.
A significant portion of Mojtaba’s influence stems from his close ties with the IRGC. He served in the Habib Battalion during the Iran-Iraq War and maintained lasting relationships with individuals who rose to the top of the security and Basij command structures.
In 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on him. At the time, the US Treasury stated that Ali Khamenei had delegated some of his powers to his son, who acted as an official representative despite not holding an elected position.
The transition of power from father to son is a sensitive issue in a system established after the overthrow of a hereditary monarchy. Under the Iranian constitution, the Supreme Leader must be a high-ranking cleric possessing recognised religious authority and political capability.
While Mojtaba currently lacks the rank of Ayatollah, some analysts believe his strong position within the IRGC and security apparatus facilitated his candidacy.
There have also been reports of informal campaigns in recent years to elevate his religious status, despite caution from sections of the clerical community.
The Assembly of Experts holds the constitutional power to evaluate and appoint a leader who meets the necessary religious and political criteria, and can also provide for interim leadership to ensure executive authority continues during transitions.
