Mojtaba Khamenei Elected New Supreme Leader of Iran After Father's Death

Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has succeeded his father as the Supreme Leader of Iran on Sunday, March 8. This follows the death of Ali Khamenei on February 28 in an attack attributed to the United States and Israel.

Key points

• Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen by the Assembly of Experts, a body composed of 88 Shia clerics.
• He is considered close to conservative factions due to his ties with the Revolutionary Guards.
• Israel has already declared the new Supreme Leader, who is appointed for life, a "target."
• US President Donald Trump stated the new leader "will not last long" without his approval.
• The Revolutionary Guards immediately pledged allegiance to the new Supreme Leader.

Why it matters

The succession occurs amidst an ongoing war in the Middle East, with the US and Israel diversifying their targets against Iranian infrastructure, signaling a potential continuation of the previous hardline stance.