Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been elevated to the position his father held for nearly four decades until his death in US-Israeli air strikes. Mojtaba is the rightful heir to the “martyred leader,” with the political and religious credentials to rule. It also sought to preempt a central criticism: that he lacks the scholarly depth traditionally expected of a “vali-faqih,” or supreme jurisprudent. Days later, the late supreme leader’s wife – Mojtaba’s mother – also died of her wounds, according to state media. “God’s grace became manifest,” regime supporters chanted in Tehran metro the morning after Mojtaba’s appointment.

Source: CNN March 09, 2026 10:00 UTC