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By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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Iranian state news agency Fars reported on Sunday evening that Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been elected as the country's new Supreme Leader.
Newsweek reached out to the White House by email on Sunday evening for comment.
The Context
Khamenei died in the first wave of strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 as part of Operation Epic Fury. An 88 person council adjourned over the following week to discuss and elect the new leader, with some analysts suggesting that the longer the process lasted, the more it indicated fractures in the Iranian regime.
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Several major figures have been touted as potential candidates, including Khamenei's son Mojtaba and senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, the latter of whom is part of the three-man council tasked with picking the next leader, along with Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, as established under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution.
On Sunday, Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency reported that the nation's Assembly of Experts, responsible for picking a new head of the regime, had elected a replacement after days of uncertainty over who would take over as the new Supreme Leader, with Mojtaba announced later in the day.
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What To Know
Mojtaba, 56, is the second of Khamenei's son and was an early frontrunner to take the post - touted by many as his father's most likely successor long before the Operation Epic Fury - and many of the country's hard-liner clerics supporting his ascension.
The younger Khamenei does not have a huge public profile, but the regime has long been accused of paving the way for him to take over. His critics have long-expressed concerns over what they say has been behind-the-scenes involvement in major decisions, such as the 2005 and 2009 elections.
State TV read a statement saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and urging the nation to unite behind him, and showed people celebrating in public areas of Tehran.
The Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah shared a portrait of the younger Khamenei on Telegram with the caption, “Leader of the blessed Islamic revolution.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, as Iran’s supreme leader, but Trump has previously stated he has a dim view of Mojtaba Khamenei.
But Trump has derided the 56-year-old who has never been elected or appointed to a government position, as “a lightweight.”
“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said in an interview with Axios last week.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 3/8/26, 6:22 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 3/8/26, 5:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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