Tehran (HRNW)-\u00a0According to Iranian state media, Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as Iran\u2019s new Supreme Leader, following the martyrdom of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a joint US-Israeli attack.<\/p>\n
The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei was elected by Iran\u2019s 88-member Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader. The February 28 airstrike that killed Ali Khamenei also claimed the lives of Mojtaba Khamenei\u2019s mother, wife, and sister, though he was not present at the time.<\/p>\n
The Assembly of Experts called on the Iranian people to support the new leadership and maintain national unity. Mojtaba Khamenei, long influential in Iran\u2019s inner political circle and close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has rarely made public appearances or statements, leaving many citizens unfamiliar with him.<\/p>\n
Critics warn that his appointment may signal family-style leadership reminiscent of the Pahlavi monarchy. Mojtaba Khamenei has previously been accused of suppressing anti-government protests, including during the 2009 Green Movement. The ongoing war in Iran and government-imposed internet restrictions have limited the flow of information about the new Supreme Leader.<\/p>\n