Report: Khamenei's son chosen as Iran's Supreme Leader

2026-03-03 - 22:37

Iran's Assembly of Experts on Tuesday selected Mojtaba Khamenei, son of eliminated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the new supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, according to the Iranian opposition website Iran International, citing sources familiar with the matter. The report said the decision was made under heavy pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Iranian Mehr News Agency denied reports that Mojtaba Khamenei had been killed alongside his father in the Israeli strike, saying he was "in full health." According to the agency, he is currently handling family matters related to relatives killed in the recent attacks. Mehr attributed reports of his death to what it called "rumors from the Zionist media." Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, eliminated | Photo: Reuters, AIRBUS The reported appointment comes after an Israeli strike on the Assembly of Experts building in the city of Qom, carried out three days after Khamenei was assassinated in the opening blow of Operation Roaring Lion. The state-run Fars News Agency confirmed that the building was bombed, but said no session was being held there at the time. The report added that the vote to select a new supreme leader was being conducted remotely for security reasons. According to Fars, the building targeted in the strike is an old structure no longer used for meetings, and members of the council described the selection of the next leader as "very swift." Immediately after Khamenei's assassination, a temporary leadership council was established in accordance with Iran's constitution. It comprises President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei and Guardian Council representative Ayatollah Ahmad Arafi. It was also announced that Khamenei's body will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad following a "grand farewell ceremony" to be held in Tehran. Details of the ceremony, including the timing and full program, have yet to be released. The Revolutionary Guards' man Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second son of the late supreme leader, is considered one of the most powerful figures in Iran despite never holding an official position. For more than 27 years he operated behind the scenes as his father's gatekeeper, and is known for his close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and alleged involvement in engineering election results and suppressing protests. According to foreign reports, his influence extended to nearly every sphere of state affairs, from media appointments to the conduct of universities, as well as decisions concerning the regional war against Israel and Iran's nuclear project. Mojtaba Khamenei, son of eliminated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei In 2019, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on him, alleging that he represented the supreme leader and was delegated authority despite not being elected or formally appointed to a government post. According to US officials, Mojtaba Khamenei worked in coordination with Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and with the Basij militia. A Bloomberg investigation published in January 2026 exposed what it described as a secret financial network linked to him, including real estate holdings in London and Dubai and accounts managed through intermediaries in various countries. His candidacy has long been controversial within Iran. Shiite tradition opposes dynastic succession, and the Islamic Republic itself was founded on the ruins of the shah's monarchy. In addition, Mojtaba Khamenei lacks the senior clerical rank typically required to lead the Islamic Republic, a shortcoming seen as significant compared to other potential candidates. Khamenei himself had reportedly opposed the idea of his son succeeding him. According to a New York Times report, Mojtaba was not among the three candidates shortlisted by a committee appointed by Khamenei in the event of his assassination.