TEHRAN, Iran — Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been selected to lead the Islamic Republic following his father’s death in a reported U.S.–Israeli strike.
The appointment by the powerful Assembly of Experts places the 56-year-old cleric at the apex of Iran’s political and religious system during one of the country’s most volatile periods in decades.
Born on 8 September 1969 in Mashhad, Mojtaba Khamenei is the second of six children in the influential clerical family.
He received his secondary education at Tehran’s religious Alavi School before later pursuing advanced Shia theology studies in the holy city of Qom.
At the age of 17, Mojtaba briefly served in Iran’s military during the closing stages of the Iran–Iraq War, a conflict that profoundly shaped the country’s political outlook and relations with Western powers.
Unlike many senior Iranian leaders, Mojtaba has never held elected office nor occupied a formal government position.
Instead, he built influence behind the scenes within his father’s inner circle. U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks described him as “the power behind the robes”, suggesting he played a significant role within Iran’s political establishment.
His name entered the public spotlight during the 2005 presidential election, when reformist politician Mehdi Karroubi accused him of influencing the outcome in favour of hardline candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Similar allegations resurfaced during the disputed 2009 presidential election, which sparked nationwide protests known as the Green Movement.
Critics argue Mojtaba’s rise represents a departure from the founding principles of the Islamic Republic, established after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, which overthrew the monarchy.
The revolutionary ideology emphasised leadership based on religious authority rather than hereditary succession.
Some observers say his relatively mid-ranking clerical status could also present challenges to his legitimacy as Supreme Leader.
In recent days, however, Iranian media and figures close to the ruling establishment have increasingly referred to him as “Ayatollah”, a higher clerical title that could bolster his religious credentials.
His supporters argue that the appointment ensures continuity with the ideological path established by the revolution’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, and maintained by his father for nearly four decades.
Yet analysts say Mojtaba now faces the daunting task of stabilising Iran amid escalating regional conflict, economic pressure, and domestic political tensions.
