- Mojtaba Khamenei appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader after his father's assassination
- Iran's Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body, selected Mojtaba Khamenei
- Mojtaba holds influence over Iran's security forces and powerful business foundations
Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as the new Supreme Leader of Iran after his father, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated by the US and Israel on February 28.
Iran's Assembly of Experts has chosen Mojtaba Khamenei as the country's new leader. Despite being just a mid-level cleric, he is believed to have significant influence over Iran's security forces and powerful businesses that were once associated with his father.
The Assembly of Experts is a council of 88 senior clerics in Iran. Their primary role is to select and supervise the country's Supreme Leader. When the position becomes vacant, the members meet and vote to decide who will become the next leader. The Iranian constitution grants this body the authority to choose the next leader.
Following Khamenei's death, the assembly gathered to discuss possible candidates.
The group, according to local media, discussed whether their final decision should follow an in-person meeting or the formality could be done away with, Al Jazeera reported.
Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir, a member of the Assembly of Experts, said that the in-person meeting for a final vote could not have taken place under the current conditions. He, however, added that the candidate had been picked, based on Khamenei's advice - Iran's top leader should “be hated by the enemy” instead of praised by it, according to Al Jazeera.
"By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran," according to a statement released just after midnight in Tehran.
Mojtaba's rise to power, however, has been controversial in Iran.
The appointment could also anger the United States. President Donald Trump said on March 8 that the US should have a say in who becomes Iran's leader. In an interview with ABC News, he said if the new leader does not get approval from the US, "he's not going to last long."
"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight," said Trump.
At the same time, Israel had warned earlier that it could target whoever is chosen as Iran's new leader.
There have also been allegations of financial corruption involving Mojtaba. According to reports, a large part of Iran's economy, around 60 per cent, is controlled through powerful foundations and organisations connected to his father, Ali Khamenei.
These include institutions such as the Mostazafan Foundation, Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, Khatam al-Anbiya Construction Headquarters, and Astan Quds Razavi.
Some believe Mojtaba has assisted in overseeing or managing some of the finances associated with these networks. A Bloomberg report claims that Mojtaba may have access to valuable assets outside Iran.
These reportedly include high-end real estate in London and Dubai, as well as business interests in shipping, banking, and hotels across Europe.
