Iran's Potential New Supreme Leader: Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Israel's Warning on Iran's Leadership
Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has issued a stark warning, stating that any individual chosen by Iran to succeed the late Supreme Leader will be marked for elimination. Reports indicate that Iran is contemplating Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a potential successor, despite his lack of prior election or appointment to any governmental role. Mojtaba, a reclusive figure within the Islamic Republic, has not been seen publicly since the Israeli airstrike that resulted in the death of his father, aged 86, and his wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, who hailed from a family historically linked to Iran's theocracy.
It is believed that Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive but may have gone into hiding as American and Israeli airstrikes continue to target Iran, although state-run media in Iran have not provided updates on his situation.
Understanding Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei's name has emerged as a likely candidate to take over his father's position, a prospect that has faced criticism for potentially establishing a theocratic dynasty reminiscent of Iran's former monarchy. However, following the deaths of his father and wife, who are viewed as martyrs by hard-liners in the ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel, Mojtaba's standing among the aging clerics of the 88-seat Assembly of Experts, responsible for selecting the next supreme leader, may have improved.
The new leader will inherit control over an Iranian military engaged in conflict and a significant stockpile of enriched uranium, which could be utilized for nuclear weapon development if deemed necessary. Mojtaba Khamenei's role has been likened to that of Ahmad Khomeini, the son of Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, serving as a confidant and power broker.
Born in 1969 in Mashhad, Mojtaba Khamenei grew up during his father's opposition to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. An official biography recounts an incident where the shah's secret police, SAVAK, raided their home and assaulted the cleric. Afterward, Mojtaba and his siblings were misled about their father's whereabouts, but he later chose to tell them the truth.
Following the shah's downfall, the Khamenei family relocated to Tehran. Mojtaba participated in the Iran-Iraq war with the Habib ibn Mazahir Battalion, a faction of the Revolutionary Guard, which has seen many members rise to influential intelligence roles, likely supported by the Khamenei family. His father ascended to the position of supreme leader in 1989, granting Mojtaba and his family access to vast wealth and business interests tied to Iran's numerous bonyads, or foundations established from state resources and former royal assets.
With inputs from various sources