Mojtaba was said to have had a major hand in running his late father’s office
ANI
Tehran, Updated At : 12:54 PM Mar 04, 2026 IST
Israeli media reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been chosen as his father’s successor and will become Iran’s new Supreme Leader. Senior Israeli officials told Ynet that the Assembly of Experts is expected to formally announce Mojtaba Khamenei as successor in the coming hours. There has been no independent confirmation from Iranian state media.
The New York Times earlier reported that 56-year-old Mojtaba had emerged as the leading candidate. Mojtaba, the second eldest son of Ali Khamenei, was said to have played a major role in running his father’s office and maintains close ties with senior figures in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force.
NYT reported that the Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba allegedly under intense pressure from the IRGC. Israeli outlets described him as more hard-line than his father and implicated him in violent crackdowns on protesters.
In November 2019, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Mojtaba, saying he represented the then–Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never holding elected or appointed government office. The Treasury contended that Ali Khamenei had delegated part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba, who worked closely with the commander of the IRGC-Quds Force and the Basij to advance Iran’s regional ambitions and domestic repression. Reports have also linked Mojtaba to luxury properties in London and bank accounts in the UK, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper warned Iran that U.S. and partner strike operations would continue until their objectives are met. “Our military objectives are crystal clear, and our people are executing an immensely complex and historic mission with relentless lethality, conviction, and professionalism. And we’ve just begun. But I have the utmost confidence that we, alongside our partners, will absolutely achieve our military objectives,” he said.
The conflict in the Middle East entered its fourth day after U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and other senior figures in Iran. In response, Tehran launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and Israeli assets across the region.
