Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges as Leading Contender to Succeed Iran’s Supreme Leader
By Tahir Shah :
Mojtaba Khamenei has emerged as a leading candidate to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, following the latter’s death in a wave of US-Israeli air strikes that targeted senior figures in Iran’s leadership.
The 56-year-old cleric reportedly survived the aerial bombardment that struck Tehran and killed several senior political and military officials, including his father. Two Iranian sources told Reuters that Mojtaba was not in the capital when the strike destroyed the supreme leader’s compound. The attack also reportedly killed members of Khamenei’s family and other senior figures.
Funeral Plans Uncertain
Amid continued explosions in Tehran, plans for the funeral of the late leader remain uncertain. Iranian state media said the ceremony, which was expected to take place at a large mosque in the capital, had been postponed.
The decision on the next supreme leader rests with the Assembly of Experts, a powerful clerical council tasked with selecting the country’s top authority.
Assembly member Ahmad Khatami told state television that the council was close to reaching a decision and would announce the outcome soon, although he did not identify specific candidates.
Other Names in the Running
Another possible contender is Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ruhollah Khomeini, who is associated with Iran’s reformist political camp.
Meanwhile, senior cleric Alireza Arafi has taken on a key role after being appointed to an interim three-member leadership council. The council is working alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei to oversee state affairs following Khamenei’s death.
Background of Mojtaba Khamenei
Born in 1969 in Mashhad, Mojtaba grew up during the turbulent years when his father was active in the movement opposing the Shah. He later served during the Iran–Iraq War.
He pursued religious studies in the seminaries of Qom, where he studied under conservative clerics. Mojtaba holds the clerical title of Hujjat al-Islam, which is a rank below that of an ayatollah.
Although he has never held a formal government office, he has long been viewed by analysts as a key figure within his father’s inner circle and a gatekeeper to the supreme leader’s office.
In 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on him, saying he had exercised influence on behalf of the supreme leader despite not holding an elected or official government position.
The selection of Iran’s next supreme leader comes at a time of intense regional tensions and continued military confrontation in the Middle East.
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