Assembly of Experts Names Mojtaba Khamenei Iran’s New Supreme Leader During U.S.–Israel Conflict
Iran’s powerful clerical body on Monday appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic following the death of his father Ali Khamenei, signaling continuity of hardline leadership as the country faces an escalating conflict with the United States and Israel.
The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of clerics responsible for selecting Iran’s highest authority, announced the decision shortly after midnight in Tehran.
“By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the assembly said in a statement.
The position gives Mojtaba Khamenei final authority over Iran’s political, military and religious institutions.
Ali Khamenei, who had ruled Iran since 1989, was killed during one of the first strikes launched against Iran more than a week ago as the United States and Israel began a coordinated military campaign.
The leadership transition comes at a critical moment for Iran as the conflict continues to intensify and regional tensions rise.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a mid-ranking cleric, has long been regarded as one of the most influential figures within Iran’s political and security establishment. He is believed to have strong ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and extensive influence within the networks surrounding the office of the Supreme Leader.
Although he has never held a major elected government position, he had been widely seen as a leading contender to succeed his father.
The appointment is expected to deepen tensions with Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington should have a say in Iran’s leadership selection.
“If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” Trump told ABC News.
Israel had also warned ahead of the announcement that whoever was chosen as Iran’s new leader could be targeted.
Meanwhile, fighting continued to intensify across Iran.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said at least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and thousands wounded since the start of the U.S.–Israeli campaign.
The U.S. military reported that a seventh American service member had died from wounds sustained during Iran’s initial counter-attack a week earlier.
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tehran was not seeking a ceasefire and would punish what he described as aggressors.
Israel said it continued targeting senior Iranian figures. Israeli officials reported that Abolqasem Babaian, recently appointed head of the military office of the supreme leader, was killed in a strike on Saturday.
Residents in Tehran said thick black smoke hung over parts of the capital after strikes hit fuel storage facilities, lighting the night sky with flames.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the attacks, describing them as a dangerous new phase of the conflict and accusing Israel of committing war crimes by targeting fuel depots.
Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the depots were legitimate military targets because they were used to support Iran’s missile and war operations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the campaign would continue and that Israel had a plan aimed at destabilising Iran’s ruling system.
The conflict has disrupted global energy markets, pushed oil prices higher and caused widespread disruption to international air travel.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner are expected to visit Israel on Tuesday as Washington coordinates its strategy with Israeli leaders. — [KNT]
