- Russian President Putin offered unwavering support to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei
- Putin called Russia a reliable partner amid Iran’s confrontation with "armed aggression"
- Earlier, US President Trump said that Mojtaba Khamenei would be "unacceptable" as Iran's new leader
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday offered his backing to Iran's newly installed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who took power following the killing of his father in strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
In a direct message to the new leader, Putin said, “I would like to reaffirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends,” he wrote, adding that “Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner” to Iran.
The Russian president added, "At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication.”
Putin's message of solidarity is in direct contrast with what Trump had said before the appointment. Speaking to Axios, Trump said, "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran."
"If he doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long," Trump told ABC News on Sunday. By Monday, Trump told the Times of Israel, "We'll see what happens."
Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei?
For most of his 56 years, Mojtaba Khamenei has operated almost entirely out of public view. He is the second-eldest son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening hours of the US and Israeli strikes nine days ago.
Mojtaba's ascent comes as the system of rule his father pioneered, and over which he kept a tight grip, battles the biggest existential threat in its near-50 year history.
The transition marks a new phase of the war, which has been going on for nine days but shows no signs of stopping. Israel's military launched a fresh wave of strikes on central Iran on Monday and hit Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut.
This follows Israeli strikes on Tehran's oil depots the day before. Iran is retaliating with strikes of its own against Israel and Middle Eastern nations hosting US bases. On Sunday, two foreign nationals, including an Indian citizen, were killed after a projectile hit a residential area in Saudi Arabia.
