Political hardliners have swiftly rallied behind Mojtaba Khamenei after he was named Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader, just over a week after the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint United States-Israeli strikes that have plunged the entire region into a sprawling war.
The 56-year-old, who will now be charged with leading the Islamic Republic through the biggest crisis in its 47-year history, was named by clerics as his father’s successor late Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Key leaders, Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the armed forces were quick to pledge their backing to the new leader.
Iran’s key power centers, including the Revolutionary Guards, have said Mojtaba Khamenei is capable of guiding the country after he was chosen to succeed his slain father, Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new Supreme Leader.
The IRGC said that it was ready to “fully obey and sacrifice their lives” for him, signaling the likelihood of a stable transition.
Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who has been tasked with steering Iran’s security strategy since the US and Israel launched their all-out offensive, called for unity around the new Supreme Leader.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf welcomed the choice, saying that following the new Supreme Leader was a “religious and national duty.”
Sadiq Larijani, the head of Iran’s powerful Expediency Council, joined a chorus of political leaders expressing support for the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s Supreme Leader.
In comments cited by an Iranian news agency, Larijani said that Mojtaba’s appointment helps soothe the public’s distress during the war and reaffirms the need to continue in the “luminous” path of Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini.
Also, Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi offered his congratulations to the newly appointed Supreme Leader in a statement on X.
“We pledge that, in defence of the rights of the great Iranian nation, the advancement of national interests and security, and the realisation of the lofty goals of the Islamic revolution, we shall not falter for a moment.”
Abbas Araghchi
Mojtaba Khamenei has never run for office or been subjected to a public vote, but has for decades been a highly influential figure in the inner circle of the supreme leader, cultivating deep ties to the IRGC.
In recent years, Khamenei has increasingly been touted as a top potential replacement for his father. His selection could be a sign that more hardline factions in Iran’s establishment retain power, and could indicate that the government has little desire to agree to a deal or negotiations in the short term as the war enters its second week.
The 88-member Assembly of Experts said on Sunday that it “did not hesitate for a minute” in choosing a new Supreme Leader, despite “the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime.”
Earlier, the clerical body had indicated it had reached a majority consensus on its choice, without naming who it was. One member of the body said, “The path of Imam Khomeini and the path of the martyr Imam Khamenei has been chosen,” adding, “The name of Khamenei will continue.”
Selection of Khamenei’s Son To Enrage Trump
The selection of Khamenei’s son is certain to enrage US President Trump, who had previously rejected him as a candidate.
The Israeli military has already threatened to kill any replacement for Khamenei, while President Donald Trump said the war may only end once Iran’s military and leaders have been wiped out.
In a statement to a news agency hours before Iranian state media reported that the Assembly of Experts had selected a new Supreme Leader, Trump said, “He’s going to have to get approval from us.” “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” Trump said of any new Supreme Leader.
US Senator Lindsey Graham iterated the same stance, stating in a post on X that Iran’s selection of the slain Ali Khamenei’s son to succeed him is “not the change we’re looking for.” The Republican lawmaker from South Carolina said on X, “I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father.”
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