Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts has announced that Mojtaba Khamenei has been selected as the country’s new Supreme Leader.
The announcement was made on Sunday in an official statement, days after reports first emerged that the clerical body had chosen him following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East after recent military strikes involving the United States and Israel.
The Assembly of Experts, which is constitutionally responsible for appointing Iran’s Supreme Leader, said the decision was reached after consultations among senior clerics.
Before the official confirmation, reports from Iran claimed that Mojtaba had already been chosen earlier in the week, allegedly under pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Mojtaba Khamenei has long been viewed by political observers as a key figure within Iran’s ruling establishment and a potential successor to his father.
His appointment now places him at the apex of Iran’s political and religious leadership during one of the most tense periods in the region in recent years.
