Iran03 March, 20262 min read
Assembly of Experts Elects Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's New Supreme Leader After US-Israeli Strike
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Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader. Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli strike on his Tehran compound on February 28.
12 outlets told this the same way.
Strike, unrest, leadership change
A rapid, regionwide war erupted after a joint U.S.-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On 4 March the Assembly of Experts reportedly elected Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as Iran’s new supreme leader.
“Reportedly on 4 March the Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US–Israeli strike on 28 February.”
Sources report the strike as the trigger for widespread fighting and noted that Iran was expected to appoint a new supreme leader amid the chaos. The appointment marks an unprecedented intra-family transfer of power since the 1979 revolution and came as Iranian authorities faced intense military pressure and domestic unrest.
Iran succession controversy
The selection process has been portrayed as controversial and contested, with reports saying the Assembly made a swift choice under pressure from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Critics argue the transfer of power to Mojtaba Khamenei signals a move toward dynastic rule.
Observers note Mojtaba holds no formal public office but is a long-time, low-profile gatekeeper with deep IRGC ties. The Assembly of Experts, tasked by constitution to elect a supreme leader, saw its offices hit during the crisis as members rushed to choose a successor.
Domestic protests and unrest
Domestically, the decision and the broader conflict have provoked widespread anger and protest. Reports indicate street demonstrations with chants such as "Death to Mojtaba."
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, a move that has provoked widespread anger and protests across the country—protesters reportedly chanting ‘Death to Mojtaba.’”
Analysts and pro-democracy movements have long suspected Mojtaba of involvement in past repression. The strikes and ensuing crisis occurred against a backdrop of existing anti-government unrest and heavy civilian casualties from the campaign of strikes.
Middle East conflict overview
Regionally, the killing of Ali Khamenei and subsequent strikes have expanded into broader conflict across the Middle East. The fighting has drawn in state and non-state actors and prompted retaliatory strikes, infrastructure attacks, and disruptions to shipping and energy.
Governments and militaries in the region have engaged in strikes and counterstrikes. Some Iranian military units have been described as acting independently under broad instructions, and Western leaders have defended support for allied strikes as protection against Iranian attacks.
Humanitarian and economic impact
The conflict’s humanitarian and economic consequences are severe and contested. Reports cite hundreds of Iranian cities hit, along with large civilian and military casualties. The reporting also describes attacks on regional oil and shipping infrastructure.
“The Iranian Red Crescent reported strikes in 131 cities have killed at least 555 people in Iran; strikes in Tehran reportedly took state TV off the air.”
There is international concern over further escalation and the conflict's strategic aims. U.S. officials framed operational goals as degrading Iranian military capabilities and preventing a nuclear weapon. Commercial and travel disruptions followed as markets and logistics adjusted to the widening war.
