A new era or a continuation of the status quo: Ali Khamenei’s son takes the helm in Iran
4 March 09:36
In Iran, Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei will become the new supreme leader after his father’s death.
According to "Komersant Ukrainian", this was reported by Iran International, an opposition media outlet in Iran.
It is reported that the decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei was made by the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for electing the country’s supreme leader under the constitution.
At the same time, according to journalists, the members of the assembly were actively pressured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It was the security forces that insisted on the quickest possible appointment of a successor in order to avoid political instability after Khamenei’s death.
It is interesting to note that there is currently no official information about this – official Iranian sources have not reported on the election.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei is one of Ali Khamenei’s sons and an influential Shia cleric. For many years, he has been considered one of the key figures behind the scenes in Iranian politics, particularly due to his close ties with the IRGC leadership.
It is known that Mojtaba Khamenei studied at the Alavi School in Tehran, an educational institution traditionally attended by the children of high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic.
He is married to the daughter of Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel. The marriage took place at a time when Mojtaba was not yet a cleric and was only planning to enter the seminary in Qom.
He began his formal religious education at the age of 30 at the Qom Seminary, Iran’s most famous Shiite religious educational institution.
Mojtaba’s influence on politics became more noticeable in the mid-2000s, although the media rarely acknowledges this. He came into the spotlight after the controversial 2004 presidential election, when one of the leading candidates, Mehdi Karroubi, accused Mojtaba of covertly interfering in favor of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in an open letter to Ali Khamenei.
Since the 2010s, Mojtaba Khamenei has been considered one of the most influential figures in the Islamic Republic.
Although he has not held any official government positions, analysts have repeatedly called him a potential successor to his father. His possible appointment has previously sparked debate in Iran, as the transfer of power from father to son could be seen as transforming the republican system into a de facto political dynasty.
According to Reuters, Mojtaba is considered a supporter of Iran’s hardline conservative camp, like his father, and has publicly supported a tough policy toward opponents of the regime and external enemies.
In 2019, the US imposed sanctions against him.
Bloomberg reported in January that Mojtaba Khamenei controls a large investment empire and has access to Swiss bank accounts and British elite real estate worth more than $100 million.
The death of Ali Khamenei
It is known that Ali Khamenei died on February 28 as a result of an Israeli military strike. According to sources, the operation was carried out by the Israel Defense Forces.
After his death, the process of transferring power began in the country, as Iran’s supreme leader is the highest political and religious position in the state and has a decisive influence on the government, the army, and foreign policy.
