Iran's commanders and clergy rally behind Mojtaba Khamenei after Assembly approves him as supreme leader

Iran’s Assembly of Experts formally approved Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader, with state media reporting the 56‑year‑old second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the successor.

“soldiers have now been killed”

19 Action News Cleveland

The move followed the killing of his father in strikes that several outlets say touched off the wider war.

19 Action News Cleveland

State and Iranian news agencies portrayed Mojtaba as the nation’s third supreme leader.

Reports stressed the Assembly’s public confirmation amid active conflict and said state TV and official organs announced the elevation.

Officials, commanders and clerics rallied quickly around Mojtaba, with reports describing military and religious elites pledging allegiance and calling for unity as the country remained under attack.

Senior institutions including the IRGC and armed forces were cited as affirming loyalty, and senior political figures framed allegiance as both a religious and national duty while urging cohesion amid the crisis.

Al Jazeera

Mojtaba is portrayed across outlets as a behind-the-scenes power with close ties to the IRGC and Basij.

“military announced a seventh American service member has died of injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on troops stationed in Saudi Arabia”

Associated Press

He has long acted as a de facto representative for his father despite lacking formal elected office.

Multiple reports note he has not held prior high public office or the formal rank of ayatollah.

He is widely described as a hardline figure with deep security connections, factors that analysts and officials say point to continuity rather than reform in Iran’s leadership.

The succession has sharpened international reactions amid ongoing regional fighting.

U.S. figures condemned the appointment and former President Trump publicly derided or warned about Mojtaba.

Financial Times

Israel labeled him a potential target, and Russia sent a congratulatory message as nations weighed the implications.

Observers linked the appointment directly to a worsening regional security and economic picture that included missile and drone strikes, evacuations of diplomatic staff, and surging oil prices.

Beyond politics and security, reporting flagged alleged financial networks tying Mojtaba to overseas assets and the economic fallout of the escalation.

A Bloomberg-based investigation cited by regional press describes a sprawling overseas investment network linked to Mojtaba that routed funds through intermediaries and shell companies.

Fox News

Markets and energy commentators noted oil price spikes and emergency policy talk among G7 states as the crisis widened.