JUST-IN: Iran names Khamenei’s son as new Supreme Leader

Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader following the reported killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

According to state media reports cited by Al Jazeera, Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced the decision on Sunday, stating that Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen after what it described as a “decisive vote.”

In a statement circulated by state media, the clerical body called on Iranians to remain united and support the new leadership.

It urged citizens, particularly scholars and intellectuals in seminaries and universities, to pledge allegiance and help preserve national unity during the transition.

The announcement comes days after the death of Ali Khamenei, who had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989.

Reports indicated that he was killed on February 28 during a joint United States and Israeli air operation targeting leadership sites in Tehran amid escalating regional tensions.

His death had sparked intense speculation about who would succeed him, with Mojtaba Khamenei widely viewed as a leading contender despite concerns among some political and religious figures about the emergence of hereditary leadership in the Islamic Republic.

Mojtaba, a mid-ranking cleric believed to have close ties with Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has long been seen as an influential figure behind the scenes in Iran’s political system.

Iran’s constitution assigns the Assembly of Experts the responsibility of selecting the Supreme Leader, the country’s highest authority with ultimate control over national policy, the military and the judiciary.

His appointment marks one of the most significant political transitions in Iran in decades and comes at a time of heightened regional tensions.

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