Tehran, March 9: Mojtaba Khamenei has been named Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in US and Israeli strikes earlier in the conflict that began on Feb 28. His appointment comes as the country faces one of the most serious crises in its modern history.

Iranian state television announced the decision early Monday, citing a statement from the Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader. The announcement was made shortly after midnight and came amid mounting tensions both inside Iran and across the region.

The selection of 56-year-old cleric followed the established constitutional procedure rather than a hereditary transfer of power, although his family lineage and proximity to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have long placed him at the centre of speculation about succession.

The Assembly said Mojtaba Khamenei had been selected with “strong” support and called on the nation to unite behind the new leader. The state television also aired footage showing groups celebrating in public spaces in Tehran.

With his appointment, Mojtaba becomes the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution, inheriting leadership at a moment of intense regional conflict and domestic uncertainty.

Mojtaba Khamenei succeeds his father as the Islamic Republic’s highest political and spiritual authority. His elevation formally concludes the succession process that began after Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 in strikes targeting his residential compound in Tehran.

Ali Khamenei, 85, had ruled Iran since 1989, making him one of the region’s longest-serving leaders. His tenure spanned major periods of Iran’s modern history, including years of tensions with the United States, regional proxy conflicts, international sanctions and prolonged nuclear negotiations with global powers.

The strikes that killed him also claimed the lives of several members of his family, including his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, later died from injuries sustained in the attack.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the late leader would be buried in the holy city of Mashhad. Officials have said a large public mourning ceremony will be held in Tehran, though the burial date has not yet been confirmed.

Following Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei’s ‘assassination,’ a three-member temporary leadership council, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, led the country until a new leader was chosen.

Mojtaba Khamenei was born on September 8, 1969, in Mashhad, Iran, and is the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

He grew up during the rise of his father, who became a central figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolution and later the country’s supreme leader.

Mojtaba married Zahra Haddad-Adel, daughter of conservative politician Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel; she was killed in a recent US-Israeli airstrike on the Khamenei family compound in Tehran.

He studied Islamic jurisprudence and theology in Qom under prominent clerics and later taught advanced seminary classes there.

Although Mojtaba Khamenei has never held elected office, he has long been considered a powerful and influential figure within Iran’s political system. Much of his influence came from managing his father’s office, a role often compared to that of a chief of staff, which allowed him oversight of intelligence, economic policy, security affairs, political strategy and religious matters.

Over the years he was believed to wield considerable behind-the-scenes influence, particularly within the security establishment and among senior clerics in Qom.

Many analysts expect Mojtaba Khamenei to continue the hardline policies associated with his father’s rule.

Gary Grappo, a former US ambassador to Oman, said the new leader is likely to adopt a tough stance as he takes over during a period of unprecedented pressure on the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to CNN, Grappo said Mojtaba Khamenei lost his father and several members of his immediate family in the attacks carried out by the United States and Israel.

“We can dismiss any thought that we’re going to get off to a good start with this individual,” Grappo said. “He’s most definitely a hardliner and facing what I think is truly an existential crisis unlike anything the country has faced in its 47-year history,” he added, referring to the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

Mojtaba Khamenei now assumes leadership at one of the most volatile moments in the Islamic Republic’s history. As Supreme Leader, he holds ultimate authority over Iran’s armed forces, judiciary, state broadcasting and key strategic policies, including nuclear and foreign affairs.

He will face immediate decisions on military escalation, nuclear policy and relations with regional rivals,choices that will shape not only Iran’s political trajectory but also the broader security landscape of West Asia.

The coming days are expected to test both the resilience of Iran’s political institutions and Mojtaba Khamenei’s ability to consolidate authority amid growing external pressure and internal uncertainty.