Overview

Mojtaba Khamenei is the supreme leader of Iran and second son of its former supreme leader Ali Khamenei. The younger Khamenei was appointed following the death of his father in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026, which sparked a regional war between Iran and the United States, Israel, and their allies.Parisa Hafezi and Angus Mcdowall, “Iran's new leader, still silent, was elevated by the Revolutionary Guards,” Reuters, last updated March 11, 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-new-leader-still-silent-was-elevated-by-revolutionary-guards-2026-03-10/.

Mojtaba Khamenei is one of six children and grew up in Tehran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In 1987, he graduated from the prestigious Alavi High School, where the children of many other regime insiders attended. After high school, Khamenei served in the Iranian armed forces during the final years of the Iran-Iraq War. In 1999, he traveled to the Iranian holy city of Qom to study theology under ultra-conservative religious clerics.Muhammad Sahimi, “The Man in the Shadow: Mojtaba Khamenei,” PBS, July 16, 2009, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/07/the-man-in-the-shadow-mojtaba-khamenei.html. Khamenei is married to the daughter of previous parliamentary speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel.Hollie McKay, “Is Iran’s Supreme Leader preparing to designate his son as the next in line?,” Fox News, December 7, 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/world/is-irans-supreme-leader-preparing-to-designate-his-son-as-the-successor.

The elder Khamenei reportedly transferred authority to his son in December 2020 amid rumors of his failing health.Darragh Roche, “Journalist Claims Iran’s Supreme Leader Transfers Power to Son as Health Deteriorates,” Newsweek, December 5, 2020, https://www.newsweek.com/fakhrizadeh-iran-1552586. Observers have suspected for several years that the elder Khamenei had been trying to position his son as his successor. According to the U.S. government, Ali Khamenei has “delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to” his son, who works closely with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and the Basij militia.“Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran’s Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime’s Domestic and Foreign Oppression,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm824.

Prior to his ascension to supreme leader, Iran analysts believed that Khamenei maintained close ties with the IRGC and wielded tremendous influence behind the scenes. He allegedly had influence over the budgets of organizations that answered directly to his father.Hollie McKay, “Is Iran’s Supreme Leader preparing to designate his son as the next in line?,” Fox News, December 7, 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/world/is-irans-supreme-leader-preparing-to-designate-his-son-as-the-successor. Khamenei used his position to influence Iranian affairs to advance his father’s hardline agenda. Former parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karroubi wrote to Ali Khamenei in 2005, and again in 2009, to accuse his son of interfering in Iran’s presidential elections. According to Karroubi, the younger Khamenei had influenced his father and other top IRGC officials to switch their support from Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former IRGC air force division commander, to Ahmadinejad.Muhammad Sahimi, “The Man in the Shadow: Mojtaba Khamenei,” PBS, July 16, 2009, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/07/the-man-in-the-shadow-mojtaba-khamenei.html. The supreme leader dismissed the accusations and placed Karroubi under house arrest in 2009.Reza Haqiqatnezhad, “Why The US Sanctioned Khamenei’s Son,” Radio Farda, November 8, 2019, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/why-the-us-sanctioned-khamenei-s-son-iran/30260018.html; Hollie McKay, “Is Iran’s Supreme Leader preparing to designate his son as the next in line?,” Fox News, December 7, 2020, https://www.foxnews.com/world/is-irans-supreme-leader-preparing-to-designate-his-son-as-the-successor. In 2009, Khamenei reportedly helped secure Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-election in Iran’s June 12 presidential elections. When protests spread across Iran to contest the election result, Khamenei allegedly directed the Basij militia to quash the protests, resulting in at least 20 deaths.Julian Borger, “Khamenei’s son takes control of Iran’s anti-protest militia,” Guardian (London), July 8, 2009, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/08/khamenei-son-controls-iran-militia. Protesters reportedly chanted, “Wish you death Mojtaba, so you would never be the next leader!”Reza Haqiqatnezhad, “Why The US Sanctioned Khamenei’s Son,” Radio Farda, November 8, 2019, https://en.radiofarda.com/a/why-the-us-sanctioned-khamenei-s-son-iran/30260018.html.

In early 2012, Ahmadinejad accused Khamenei of embezzling 600,000 euros in government funds. Ahmadinejad made the accusation after a pro-Khamenei faction accused his adviser and chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei of embezzling $2 billion. Mashaei is also married to Ahmadinejad’s son. Ahmadinejad reportedly said if Mashaei were to be investigated, Mojtaba Khamenei should be as well.Katerina Nicholas, “Ahmadinejad accuses Ayatollah Khamenei’s son of embezzlement,” Digital Journal, January15, 2012, http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/317922.

On November 4, 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Khamenei as a Specially Designated National for “representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father.”“Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran’s Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime’s Domestic and Foreign Oppression,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm824. The Treasury Department accused Khamenei of working closely with Qasem Soleimani, then commander of the Quds Force.“Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran’s Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime’s Domestic and Foreign Oppression,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, November 4, 2019, https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm824. Soleimani died in a January 2020 U.S. airstrike in Iraq.Missy Ryan and Dan Lamothe, “Pentagon launched airstrike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, Defense Sec. Mark Esper says,” Washington Post, January 2, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/defense-secretary-says-iran-and-its-proxies-may-be-planning-fresh-attacks-on-us-personnel-in-iraq/2020/01/02/53b63f00-2d89-11ea-bcb3-ac6482c4a92f_story.html.

On December 5, 2020, Iranian journalist Momahad Ahwaze claimed on Twitter that Ali Khamenei, amid growing health concerns, had transferred authority to Mojtaba Khamenei. According to Ahwaze, Ali Khamenei canceled a December 4 meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani because of his deteriorating health. Ahwaze claimed Ali Khamenei’s conditioned worsened overnight, leading to the transfer of power. He did not state specifics of Ali Khamenei’s illness, but various media reports suggested the supreme leader may have prostate cancer.Darragh Roche, “Journalist Claims Iran’s Supreme Leader Transfers Power to Son as Health Deteriorates,” Newsweek, December 5, 2020, https://www.newsweek.com/fakhrizadeh-iran-1552586. On December 7 on Twitter, Iranian official Mehdi Fazaeli denied rumors of Ali Khamenei’s declining health and claimed that the supreme leader was “busy vigorously carrying out his plan according to his routine.”“Iranian official close to Khamenei's office says leader is in good health – Fars,” Reuters, December 7, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN28H113. If Ali Khamenei dies while still in power, a transfer of authority to his son would be temporary as Iran’s Assembly of Experts is constitutionally charged with selecting the supreme leader’s permanent successor.Yonah Jeremy Bob, “If Iran’s Khamenei must step down, who will replace him?,” Jerusalem Post, December 6, 2020, https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/if-irans-khamenei-must-step-down-who-will-replace-him-651279.

On February 28, 2026, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion in coordination with the United States’ Operation Epic Fury. Joint Israeli-U.S. airstrikes struck Iranian military and political sites across Iran, killing Ali Khamenei in direct strikes on his compound in Tehran. Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei’s death on March 1. The Iranian government promised a devastating response, while the IRGC threatened to launch its “most intense offensive operation” ever targeting U.S. and Israeli interests.Jon Gambrell, Melanie Lidman, Josh Boak, and Eric Tucker, “Iran’s supreme leader killed in major attack by US and Israel,” February 28, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-explosion-tehran-c2f11247d8a66e36929266f2c557a54c. Iran launched retaliatory missile, drone, and rocket attacks on Israel and U.S. interests in the region, while the United States and Israel continued to target Iranian military sites. On March 3, Israel struck a building in Qom, Iran, where the Assembly of Experts was reportedly set to convene to select a new supreme leader.Emanuel Fabian and Agence France-Presse, “Israel strikes building where Iranian clerics said gathering to elect new supreme leader,” March 3, 2026, https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-strikes-iranian-clerics-gathering-to-elect-new-supreme-leader/. On March 4, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would kill anyone appointed to replace Khamenei.Lahav Harkov, “Day 5: Israel vows to eliminate Khamenei’s successor,” Jewish Insider, March 4, 2026, https://jewishinsider.com/2026/03/israel-iran-ayatollah-khamenei-successor-katz-mojtaba-khamenei/.

The February 28 strike also killed five other members of Ali Khamenei’s family and wounded Mojtaba Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei’s wife, Zahra, and his teenage son, Mohammad Bagher, were among those killed in the strike on Khamenei’s residence. Iran’s ambassador to Cyprus, Alireza Salarian, confirmed to the Guardian in early March that the younger Khamenei likely suffered injuries to his legs and hand.Helena Smith, “Mojtaba Khamenei was hurt in strike that killed his father, Iran’s Cyprus ambassador confirms,” Guardian (London), March 11, 2026, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/11/mojtaba-khamenei-was-hurt-in-strike-that-killed-his-father-irans-cyprus-ambassador-confirms.

On March 9, 2026, the Assembly of Experts gathered in an undisclosed location with a quorum of two-thirds of its members. The Assembly of Experts announced Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader.Jon Gambrell, Sam Metz, Kareem Chehayeb, and Samy Magdy, “Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father as supreme leader and Saudi sharpens warning,” Associated Press, last updated March 8, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-8-2026-f0b20dbffaea9351ae1e54183ffe53ff; Parisa Hafezi and Angus Mcdowall, “Iran’s new leader, still silent, was elevated by the Revolutionary Guards,” Reuters, March 10, 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-new-leader-still-silent-was-elevated-by-revolutionary-guards-2026-03-10/. The Assembly of Experts reportedly selected Khamenei under pressure from the IRGC, which viewed the younger Khamenei as somebody who would readily back the group’s hardline policies. According to media reports, the IRGC pressured the Assembly of Experts to expedite the selection process because the war required a strong leader who would defy the United States. According to reports, 85 to 90 percent of the members present approved of the younger Khamenei. Some high-ranking ayatollahs reportedly voiced opposition to Mojtaba Khamenei’s consideration for the position but supported him because of IRGC pressure. Sources who spoke to media on condition of anonymity expected Iran’s foreign and domestic policies to become even more hardline than they already had been because of Khamenei’s close ties to the IRGC.Parisa Hafezi and Angus Mcdowall, “Iran’s new leader, still silent, was elevated by the Revolutionary Guards,” Reuters, March 10, 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-new-leader-still-silent-was-elevated-by-revolutionary-guards-2026-03-10/.

On March 12, 2026, Khamenei issued his first public statement, in which he pledged to continue attacks on neighboring Gulf states and use the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the United States and Israel. Khamenei also pledged to avenge those killed in the war, including 165 killed in a February 28 alleged U.S. strike on a school adjacent to an IRGC base in Minab, Iran. A state TV news anchor read Khamenei’s printed statement, as the supreme leader had not been seen in public since the beginning of the war.Jon Gambrell, David Rising, Mike Corder, and Natalie Melzer, “Iran’s secretive top leader vows to keep up attacks in his first statement since being appointed,” Associated Press, last updated March 12, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-march-12-2026-oil-prices-90e17dbf7354d1e9428994ab2a036506. In the statement, Khamenei thanked Iran’s regional terrorist proxies, which he referred to as “the warriors of the Resistance Front” and Iran’s “best friends.”Haley Ott, “New Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Strait of Hormuz must remain shut in first message: State TV,” CBS News, March 12, 2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-new-supreme-leader-mojtaba-khamenei-first-statement-strait-of-hormuz/.

Also Known As

• Sayyed Mojtaba Hosseini KhameneiMuhammad Sahimi, “The Man in the Shadow: Mojtaba Khamenei,” PBS, July 16, 2009, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2009/07/the-man-in-the-shadow-mojtaba-khamenei.html.