TEHRAN: Iran’s state media on Sunday quoted the Assembly of Experts as saying that Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been appointed as the third leader of the Islamic Republic.
The announcement of his succession was also shared through a social media post attributed to the assassinated leader, who was killed on Feb 28 in a joint US-Israeli air strike.
The representatives of the Assembly of Experts appointed and introduced Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei (may God protect him) as the Third Leader of the Sacred Islamic Republic of Iran under Article 108 of the Constitution. pic.twitter.com/gZgvEI7Ds2
— Khamenei Media (@Khamenei_m) March 8, 2026
Mojtaba, a cleric with influence in Iran’s security forces and extensive business networks built under his father, had long been seen as the front-runner in the lead-up to Sunday’s vote by the Assembly of Experts — a body of 88 clerics tasked with selecting the supreme leader.
State media reported that the leadership of Iran’s armed forces has pledged allegiance to the new supreme leader. The Revolutionary Guards also declared readiness to follow Mojtaba Khamenei.
In a brief statement, the Assembly was quoted as saying: “By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Western media suggested that the succession of the slain leader’s son signals Tehran’s defiance of Israel and the United States, and continuity amid crisis. Within minutes of the announcement, Iran launched its 30th wave of ballistic missiles against Israel, with several reportedly hitting targets in the north of the occupied territories.
Mojtaba’s appointment is expected to draw sharp reaction from US President Donald Trump, who said on Sunday that Washington should have a say in the selection. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” he told ABC News. Israel, ahead of the announcement, had already threatened to target whoever was chosen.
