Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader after the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The announcement was made on Sunday, March 8, 2026, by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible under the country’s constitution for selecting the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
State media reports said Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen following what the council described as a “decisive vote.”
In a statement released through Iranian state outlets, the Assembly of Experts urged citizens to remain united and support the country’s new leader during a period of uncertainty.
The body called on Iranians, “especially the elites and intellectuals of the seminaries and universities,” to pledge allegiance to the leadership and maintain national unity.
The leadership change follows the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989 and served as the country’s most powerful political and religious authority for more than three decades.
Reports indicate that he was killed on Friday, February 28, 2026, during a joint air strike by the United States and Israel targeting leadership facilities in Tehran, Iran’s capital, amid growing regional tensions.
His death sparked widespread speculation about who would succeed him. Mojtaba Khamenei was widely viewed as one of the leading candidates despite concerns among some political and religious figures about the appearance of hereditary leadership.
Mojtaba Khamenei is a mid-ranking cleric who has long been seen as an influential figure within Iran’s political system. He is believed to maintain strong links with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the powerful military organisation that plays a central role in protecting the country’s political structure.
Although he has largely stayed out of the public spotlight, analysts say he has exercised considerable influence behind the scenes in Iran’s political affairs.
Before the announcement of his appointment, United States President Donald Trump publicly criticised the possibility that Mojtaba Khamenei could become Iran’s next leader. Trump reportedly called him a “lightweight” and argued that he should not be involved in determining Iran’s leadership.
Under Iran’s constitution, the supreme leader holds the highest authority in the Islamic Republic and has control over key state institutions including the military, judiciary, and major national policy decisions.
The selection of Mojtaba Khamenei marks one of the most important political developments in Iran in decades and comes at a time of rising tension in the Middle East.