Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected following the death of his father in attacks by the United States and Israel. The 56-year-old hardline cleric, who survived the strike that killed his father, mother, wife, and one sister, was chosen by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a 88-member clerical body tasked with selecting the supreme leader. The assembly declared Khamenei’s selection a “decisive vote” and urged Iranians to support him, emphasizing unity under the new leadership. Khamenei, a mid-level cleric (hojatoleslam), has long been a key figure in the inner circle of his father’s regime, maintaining close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). His ascension signals the continued dominance of hardline factions within Iran’s establishment, raising concerns about the government’s stance on potential negotiations amid ongoing conflict. Unlike his father, who held power for 36 years, Khamenei has never sought public office or been subjected to a formal election, instead operating as a behind-the-scenes influencer. The younger Khamenei’s rise has drawn attention to his role in past crackdowns on dissent. Reformists previously accused him of orchestrating the 2009 Green Movement protests, using IRGC forces to suppress peaceful demonstrators. His involvement in the 2023 protests, which saw thousands killed by state forces, has further cemented his association with the regime’s repressive tactics. The government has blamed these actions on foreign-backed “terrorists” and “rioters,” a narrative consistent with its responses to previous uprisings. Khamenei’s background includes early ties to the IRGC, forged during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s.#iran #ayatollah_ali_khamenei #islamic_revolutionary_guard_corps #mojtaba_khamenei #green_movement
