Mojtaba Khamenei (centre) has been chosen to succeed his father as Iranian supreme leader. File photograph: Rouzbeh Fouladi/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty ImagesMojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as his successor, according to Iranian state media. Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation marks the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution that Iran’s supreme leadership has passed from father to son. Unlike many figures in Iran’s leadership, Mojtaba Khamenei never pursued elected office or a prominent government role. To his supporters, Mojtaba Khamenei represents continuity with the ideological line established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and maintained by his father.

Source: The Irish Times March 09, 2026 12:38 UTC