Mojtaba Khamenei Elected Iran’s New Supreme Leader After Death Of Ali Khamenei: Report
Tehran: Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, son of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been elected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, according to Israeli media reports.
Mojtaba was chosen by Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body responsible for selecting the country’s top religious and political authority.
His appointment comes just days after Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. The attack, reportedly carried out under the name “Operation Epic Fury,” targeted multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran.
Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for 36 years, was killed while at his residential compound. Reports also stated that several members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, died in the strikes.
His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, later succumbed to injuries. Iranian authorities have said he will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, with a large public ceremony planned in Tehran. The exact date has not yet been announced.
Following his death, a temporary three-member Leadership Council assumed responsibilities. The council reportedly included Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei until a permanent successor was selected.
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The reported appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei marks a historic and potentially controversial transition. Before his father’s death, there had been speculation about possible successors, but no official heir had been publicly named.
Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East remain high. After the US-Israel strikes, Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf regions, including the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. The conflict has reportedly resulted in more than 700 deaths.
The United States, under President Donald Trump, warned Iran that it was “too late” to return to negotiations after renewed nuclear tensions.
(With inputs from agencies)
