Mojtaba Khamenei appointed as Iran's new supreme leader

Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an air strike on February 28, 2026, the Assembly of Experts selected his 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new supreme leader of Iran. The announcement occurred amid a deepening armed conflict involving US-Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure and retaliatory missile attacks. Mojtaba, a mid-ranking cleric without prior government office, maintains strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iran’s state media reported that missile salvos were launched toward Israel bearing messages supporting the new leader. US President Donald Trump has publicly rejected the succession, warning that the new leadership must meet specific approval criteria to remain in power. Israel has vowed to continue targeting Iranian leadership and infrastructure. While Iranian sources confirm the appointment, some reports mention Mojtaba may have sustained undisclosed injuries during the ongoing military escalations.