Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been named the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader by an 88-member Assembly of Experts, just over a week after a strike attributed to Israel killed his father and amid heightened tensions with the US and Israel.
Mojtaba Khamenei: A Key Power Broker in Iran
The 56-year-old Shiite cleric has largely maintained a low profile and has never held public office, but is known to wield considerable influence within Iran’s power structure, particularly with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran’s Assembly of Experts urged the Iranian people to support the newly chosen leader and “keep unity.”
Mojtaba is viewed as a continuation of his father’s hardline rule. Former US President Donald Trump previously stated that appointing Khamenei’s son would be “unacceptable,” and predicted that the new leader would not “last long” without coordination with Washington. Trump reportedly called Mojtaba a “lightweight,” according to US outlet Axios.
Israel’s defense minister has stated that whoever succeeds Ali Khamenei will be a “target for elimination.”
Government officials first noted Mojtaba’s growing influence in the mid-1990s, observing his close ties with IRGC fighters and commanders returning from the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1988).
Mojtaba came to prominence during the 2005 presidential elections, which experts believe he orchestrated. He allegedly helped Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a relatively unknown figure from the IRGC, win the vote.
The 2005 election politically weakened former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who remained silent. However, Mehdi Karroubi, another presidential candidate, accused Mojtaba of interfering in the election and facilitating Ahmadinejad’s rise to power in an open letter.
Four years later, Mojtaba faced similar accusations during Ahmadinejad’s reelection, which triggered widespread protests across Iran. Some protesters chanted “death to Mojtaba” during the demonstrations, opposing the prospect of him succeeding his father as supreme leader.
During this period, numerous reports emerged regarding Mojtaba’s increasing role in suppressing the “green movement.”
Mojtaba’s Financial Assets
Reports have surfaced regarding alleged financial corruption involving Mojtaba. Government insiders claim that at least 60% of Iran’s economy is controlled through holding companies and institutions under Ali Khamenei’s control, including the Mostazafan Foundation, the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, the Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, and Astan Quds Razavi. Mojtaba allegedly oversaw these finances.
A 2026 Bloomberg investigation revealed Mojtaba’s holdings include high-value real estate in London and Dubai, as well as interests in shipping, banking, and hospitality assets in Europe. These assets were reportedly held through intermediaries and layered corporate entities.
Mojtaba’s Childhood and Education
State media portrays Mojtaba as living a simple life. He completed his secondary education at Alavi School before entering the Qom seminary, where he attended lectures by influential clerics.
During his childhood, his father, Ali Khamenei, became a prominent figure in the fight against the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He spent seven years in Sardasht and Mahabad cities in Iran’s northwest and received his early education. He joined the IRGC in 1987 after finishing high school.
In 1999, Mojtaba pursued Islamic studies in Qom city to become a cleric.
Sources close to the IRGC and Iran’s security institutions have published accounts of Mojtaba’s participation in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, stating he joined a battalion at age 17. Several members of this battalion later became key intelligence and security figures in the Islamic Republic and frequently gathered around Mojtaba.
Few, including his father Ali Khamenei, anticipated that Mojtaba would one day become the country’s supreme leader.
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