Tehran: In a dramatic turn of events, Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader following the reported death of longtime leader Ali Khamenei in a U.S.–Israel airstrike. The announcement comes amid a deep political and administrative crisis in the country. The powerful 88-member Assembly of Experts is said to have finalized the decision, with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps playing a decisive role in elevating Mojtaba Khamenei to the nation’s highest authority.
At 56, Mojtaba Khamenei — the second son of the late leader — now assumes sweeping constitutional powers, including control over Iran’s armed forces, judiciary, intelligence services, and state media, along with final authority on key national policies. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini became Iran’s first Supreme Leader, succeeded by Ali Khamenei in 1989. With this unexpected leadership transition, global attention is now fixed on Tehran, as analysts assess how the change could reshape Iran’s domestic governance and foreign policy direction.
