• Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei
• The Assembly of Experts described his selection as a “decisive vote” and urged national unity
• TheRadar has compiled 10 things you should know about Mojtaba Khamenei

Iran has appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader after the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, according to state media cited by Al Jazeera.

The Assembly of Experts, Iran’s top clerical body, announced the decision on Sunday, March 8, describing Mojtaba’s selection as the result of a “decisive vote.” 

In a statement circulated by state media, the body called on Iranians to maintain unity and support the new leader.

The statement urged citizens, “especially the elites and intellectuals of the seminaries and universities,” to pledge allegiance to the leadership and preserve national unity.

Ali Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, was reportedly killed on February 28 during a joint United States and Israeli air operation targeting leadership sites in Tehran amid escalating regional conflict. 

His death sparked intense speculation about his successor, with Mojtaba Khamenei widely considered a frontrunner despite concerns about hereditary leadership.

Mojtaba Khamenei, a mid-ranking cleric believed to have strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has long exerted influence behind the scenes in Iran’s political system. 

Before the announcement, US President Donald Trump publicly opposed the prospect of Mojtaba’s leadership, reportedly calling him a “lightweight” and suggesting he should not play a role in determining Iran’s leadership.

Iran’s constitution grants the Assembly of Experts the authority to select the supreme leader, who holds ultimate control over state policy, the military, and the judiciary. 

Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment marks a major political transition in Iran during a period of ongoing regional tension.

10 things to know about Mojtaba Khamenei

• Full Name & age: Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, born September 8, 1969, in Mashhad, Iran.
• Family: Son of the late Ali Khamenei and one of six children.
• Political influence: Although he held no official post, he has been a key behind-the-scenes figure in Iran’s political system.
• Military ties: Strong connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; served in a combat unit at the end of the Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988).
• Religious rank: Holds the title of Hujjat al-Islam, a mid-ranking clerical rank below Ayatollah.
• Education: Studied theology in Qom and later taught in the city.
• Wealth: Bloomberg reports estimate his wealth at over $100 million, including luxury properties in the UK, Europe, and Dubai.
• Family tragedy: His wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, daughter of a former speaker of parliament, reportedly died in the same US-Israeli strikes that killed Ali Khamenei.
• Controversies: Accused of involvement in the 2009 post-election crackdown and sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2019 for advancing his father’s domestic and regional policies.
• Leadership transition: Selected over other contenders including Alireza Arafi, Mohsen Araki, and Hassan Khomeini. This marks one of Iran’s few leadership transitions since the Islamic Revolution.

Israel has issued a stark warning to the new leader and those who appointed him, saying, “the hand of the State of Israel will continue to follow any successor and anyone who seeks to appoint a successor.”

The Assembly of Experts, with 88 elected members serving eight-year terms, has overseen only one previous leadership transition, selecting Ali Khamenei in 1989 after the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini.