Iran names Khamenei s hardline son Mojtaba as new supreme leader

Iran announced on Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei will take over as Supreme Leader, following in the footsteps of his father, Ali Khamenei. This decision shows that hardliners continue to hold power in Tehran, especially during the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. Mojtaba, who is a mid-ranking cleric with connections to Iran’s security forces and extensive business interests inherited from his father, was considered a likely candidate before the assembly vote. The Assembly of Experts, made up of 88 clerics responsible for selecting the new leader, confirmed Mojtaba’s appointment in a statement released shortly after midnight in Tehran. This role means Mojtaba will have the ultimate authority over all state matters in the Islamic Republic. Mojtaba's new position may provoke a negative response from U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated on Sunday that the U.S. should have a role in the leader's selection. He remarked, “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” during an interview with ABC News. In anticipation of the announcement, Israel had already threatened to target the newly appointed leader. Mojtaba’s father, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed in one of the first attacks against Iran over a week ago. The U.S. military reported on Sunday that a seventh American has died from injuries sustained during Iran’s initial counter-attack a week prior. This news followed Trump overseeing the return of the remains of the six Americans who died. According to Iran’s U.N. ambassador, U.S.-Israeli attacks have resulted in at least 1,332 civilian deaths and thousands of injuries in Iran. While Trump called for “unconditional surrender,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, stated that Tehran is not looking for a ceasefire and will retaliate against aggressors. Israel has continued to target key Iranian officials, including Abolqasem Babaian, the recently appointed head of the supreme leader’s military office, who was reportedly killed in a strike on Saturday.