Iran Reappoints Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei as Chief Justice During Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Funeral

Iran reappointed Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei as chief justice during the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei confirming the move in a text message attributed to him.

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Al Jazeera said the reappointment was for another five-year term, and it came as crowds prepared to gather along a designated route in Tehran before the remains of Khamenei and four family members killed in an air strike on February 28 were taken to Qom and neighbouring Iraq before burial in Mashhad.

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The Jerusalem Post reported that Khamenei’s post said, "Imam Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has issued a decree reappointing Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mohseni Eje'i to be the Head of the Judiciary," framing the decision as continuity amid earlier reports of a possible replacement.

In response to Khamenei’s message, Iran International said Mohseni-Ejei published a letter defending the judiciary’s performance and committing to maintain the path of "judicial transformation."

Mohseni-Ejei told state TV on Monday that he is committed to "peaks" of success envisioned by leaders of the Islamic Republic, and he linked calls for revenge to deterring future “war and non-war crimes.”

Al Jazeera quoted him saying, "Why do our dear people say 'Revenge, revenge'? Because they want these criminal acts [of assassination] not to be repeated again."

Al Jazeera

The Jerusalem Post reported that Amnesty International revealed those sentenced to death or facing imminent execution under Mohseni-Ejei's directives included individuals who were under the age of 18 at the time of their alleged offenses, in direct violation of international law.

In the same Jerusalem Post account, Labour Minister Tahmina Akhter’s pledge to hold owners fully accountable was not part of the Iran story, but the article did include Khamenei’s message about transformation and Mohseni-Ejei’s defense of judicial performance, while Iran International said rights groups believe a replacement would do little to bring meaningful change without deep structural reform.

Al Jazeera said Mohseni-Ejei’s authority is anchored in Article 158 of the Islamic Republic’s constitution, giving the head of the judicial branch authority over the judiciary’s organisational structure and the hiring, dismissal, transfer, promotion and assignment of judges.

“Iran’s hard-line judicial chief Mohseni Ejei gets second term: What to know The veteran judicial official, who has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, has been accused of overseeing widespread human rights violations for decades”

Al-Monitor

It also said he can appoint the head of the Supreme Court and the prosecutor general after consultation with Supreme Court judges, and he can nominate six legal jurists of the 12-member Guardian Council, shaping electoral and legislative processes through indirect influence.

Under Mohseni-Ejei’s watch during the war, Al Jazeera reported that the judiciary carried out near-daily executions of dissidents arrested for security offences, including protesters involved in nationwide anti-government demonstrations in January.

The Jerusalem Post added that Mohseni-Ejei defends his performance while Amnesty International’s findings and rights-group criticism center on harsh crackdowns and serious rights abuses, and it noted Khamenei’s message that the judiciary’s transformation framework would be pursued through directives and commands.