Tehran [Iran], March 4 (ANI): Israeli media has reported that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been selected as his successor and is expected to formally assume the role in the coming hours.
Senior Israeli officials told Ynet News that Iran’s Assembly of Experts is likely to announce Mojtaba Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader shortly. However, there has been no independent confirmation from Iranian state media regarding the development.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, had emerged as the leading candidate for the position. He is the second eldest son of Ali Khamenei.
According to the report, the Assembly of Experts allegedly elected Mojtaba under significant pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Mojtaba is said to have played a substantial role in managing his late father’s office and to maintain close ties with senior figures within the IRGC and its elite Quds Force.
Israeli media described Mojtaba as holding a more hard-line position than his father and alleged that he was involved in orchestrating violent crackdowns on protesters in Iran.
In November 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Mojtaba Khamenei. He was designated for representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or formally appointed to a government role.
The US Treasury stated at the time that the Supreme Leader had delegated aspects of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba, who reportedly worked closely with the commander of the IRGC-Quds Force and the Basij Resistance Force to advance regional and domestic objectives attributed to the Iranian leadership.
Reports have also alleged that Mojtaba Khamenei has access to luxury properties in London and maintains financial accounts in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Meanwhile, Commander of the United States Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper reiterated that US military operations against Iran would continue unabated.
“Our military objectives are crystal clear, and our people are executing an immensely complex and historic mission with relentless lethality, conviction, and professionalism. And we’ve just begun. But I have the utmost confidence that we, alongside our partners, will absolutely achieve our military objectives,” Cooper said.
The conflict in West Asia has entered its fourth day following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. In response, Tehran has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and Israeli assets across the region, further escalating tensions. (ANI)
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