TEHRAN — Iran’s Assembly of Experts has officially named Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader. The 56-year-old cleric succeeds his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28, 2026, during joint United States and Israeli airstrikes targeting his compound in Tehran.
The appointment, announced shortly after midnight on March 9, marks the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic that power has passed from father to son.
- Assembly Decision: The 88-member Assembly of Experts selected Mojtaba following a “decisive vote”.
- Military Backing: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) immediately pledged “complete obedience and self-sacrifice” to the new leader.
- Immediate Action: Hours after the announcement, the IRGC launched a new wave of missiles toward Israel, with projectiles reportedly bearing the slogan “At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba”.
