Mojtaba Khamenei named Iran’s Supreme Leader by Assembly of Experts

Tehran: Iran has elected Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader. Iranian state TV made the announcement on Monday morning. Mojtaba will succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran on February 28. After several meetings, Iran's Assembly of Experts finally decided to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader. His name was announced amid Israeli threats to kill the new Supreme Leader.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council thanked the Assembly of Experts for choosing Ali Khamenei's successor. Ali Larijani said Tehran's enemies feared the country would reach a deadlock after Ali Khamenei's death, but the Assembly ultimately decided to elect Mojtaba Khamenei.

Appeal to the Iranian People to Unify

Mojtaba Khamenei's name was announced by Iran's 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of clerics that elects the Supreme Leader. The Assembly's statement said Mojtaba was elected based on a strong majority of votes. The statement appealed to the nation to unite behind Mojtaba.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is now at the center of power in Iran. He will have the final say on all matters of the country. He will serve as the commander-in-chief of the military and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. He has the authority to decide on stocks of enriched uranium, which can also be used to make nuclear weapons.

Third Supreme Leader since 1979

The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran ousted Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and Ruhollah Khomeini became Supreme Leader. Following Ruhollah Khomeini's death in 1989, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli attack on February 28th. Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded him.

Mojtaba Khamenei is a religious leader. He was elevated to the title of Ayatollah in 2022, a prerequisite for becoming Supreme Leader. However, Iran currently has concerns about Mojtaba's safety. The Israeli military (IDF) has threatened to assassinate the person who becomes Iran's next Supreme Leader.

US-Israeli Attacks in Iran

The US and Israel have been carrying out attacks in Iran since February 28th. More than 1,300 people have been killed in the attacks, including the death of 165 girls in an attack on a girls' school. Iran has retaliated by launching missile attacks against the US and Israel. Iran has also fired missiles into Israel and targeted US military bases in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Bahrain.