Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as the new Supreme Leader of Iran by the powerful Assembly of Experts, according to Iranian state media reports. The announcement was shared by Press TV on the social media platform X, marking one of the most significant and controversial leadership transitions in the country in decades.

Mojtaba Khamenei is the second-oldest son of Ali Khamenei, who held the position of Supreme Leader for more than three decades. Although Mojtaba has remained largely out of the public spotlight over the years, he has long been considered an influential figure within Iran’s political and religious establishment.

Following the announcement, the Assembly of Experts called on citizens across Iran to maintain unity and support the new leadership during the transition. The appointment is expected to shape the country’s political direction at a time when Iran is facing significant domestic challenges and growing geopolitical tensions.

Born on September 8, 1969, in Mashhad, Mojtaba Khamenei is the second of six children in the Khamenei family. He completed his schooling at the Alavi School in Tehran before later pursuing religious studies.

At the age of 17, he briefly served in the military during the Iran–Iraq War, the eight-year conflict that significantly shaped Iran’s national security outlook and intensified distrust toward the United States and Western countries that supported Iraq during the war.

In 1999, Mojtaba moved to the religious centre of Qom to continue advanced Islamic studies. Unlike many clerics who begin their seminary training early in life, he only began wearing clerical robes around that time, which attracted attention within religious circles.

Despite spending years in religious education, Mojtaba Khamenei was widely viewed as a mid-ranking cleric rather than a top religious authority. Some analysts previously suggested that this could become an obstacle to his elevation to Iran’s highest leadership role. However, his influence within key institutions and his proximity to the country’s power structure have long been recognised by political observers.

With Mojtaba Khamenei now assuming the position of Supreme Leader, Iran enters a new chapter in its political history. His leadership is expected to draw close attention both within the country and internationally as Iran navigates economic pressures, internal political debates and complex regional tensions.