TEHRAN: Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as a leading contender to succeed his father following the latter’s reported death in an airstrike, according to Iranian sources.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is considered a powerful mid-ranking cleric with strong connections to Iran’s security establishment, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Analysts say his influence within both the military and clerical circles has positioned him as a potential successor to the country’s top leadership role.
Sources familiar with the matter said Mojtaba had long played a key behind-the-scenes role in Iran’s political structure and was widely regarded as his father’s “gatekeeper”, maintaining close ties with influential factions within the establishment.
Kasra Aarabi, research director on the IRGC at United Against Nuclear Iran, said Mojtaba enjoys notable support among younger hardline members of the Revolutionary Guards, strengthening his prospects for leadership.
The decision on Iran’s next supreme leader will be made by the Assembly of Experts, a powerful clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s highest authority.
Assembly member Ahmad Khatami told state television that the body was nearing a decision and could announce the new leader soon, though he did not name potential candidates.
The supreme leader holds ultimate authority over Iran’s political system, including decisions related to foreign policy, defence and the country’s nuclear programme. Western governments have long sought to limit Tehran’s nuclear activities, while Iran maintains that its programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes.
If appointed, Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to face significant challenges, including continued economic pressure from international sanctions and domestic political tensions. In recent years, Iran has witnessed large-scale protests demanding greater social and political freedoms.
Born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, Mojtaba grew up during the revolutionary period that led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic. He later served during the Iran–Iraq War and pursued religious studies in the seminaries of Qom, Iran’s main center for Shia theological education.
He currently holds the clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam, which is lower than the rank of Ayatollah traditionally associated with Iran’s supreme leadership. Despite not holding an official government position, he has long been seen as an influential figure within the political system.
In 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Mojtaba Khamenei, alleging that he represented the supreme leader in an official capacity despite not being elected to public office.
His name has also been linked by analysts to the political rise of former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who won the presidency in 2005 and was re-elected in a disputed 2009 vote that triggered widespread protests.
The possibility of Mojtaba succeeding his father has sparked debate among critics who oppose any form of dynastic politics in the Islamic Republic, which was established after the 1979 revolution that overthrew the monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.
Observers say the outcome of the succession process will play a crucial role in shaping Iran’s domestic policies and its relations with the international community in the coming years.