Mojtaba "More Interested" In Developing Nuclear Weapons Than His Father: Report

The United States intelligence agencies are of the view that Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is more interested in developing a nuclear weapon than his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the February-end strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, had opposed building nuclear weapons despite advancing Iran's nuclear programme, according to The New York Times. Mojtaba Khamenei has not publicly supported nuclear weapons, but US officials think that he and Iran's new hard-line leadership may want to develop them, the report added.

Iran's current government is already known for its stronger control of the Strait of Hormuz. It has also emerged as a tough negotiating partner in talks with the US to cease the war. 

According to the US officials, if the US-Israeli war has made Tehran more, rather than less, likely to pursue a nuclear weapon, it would amount to one more grave consequence of the steps toward regime change the Donald Trump administration initially pursued.

At the same time, officials warn that much of the intelligence about Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei's views was collected before the war. He was seriously injured during the conflict and has since reduced his public appearances.

As per the US officials, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei remains Iran's top leader, but he does not hold the same level of authority as his father for now. Ali Khamenei had ruled Iran for 36 years. The assessment comes as Trump considers expanding military action against Iran. 

If this intelligence assessment holds true about Iran's nuclear ambitions, the US gets an additional justification for a further escalation. 

The report added that Iran has not restarted its nuclear programme, but Tehran has taken steps to protect its existing nuclear assets after the US strikes. This includes its attempt to move at least some centrifuges to a heavily fortified underground complex in central Iran that the US refers to as Pickaxe Mountain.