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Last week, President Trump, U.S., noted that declaring Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s next leader would be “unacceptable” and a huge mistake. As of March 8th, 2026, however, Israel has vowed to name him as their new supreme leader. Succeeding his father just a week after he was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes, Khamenei has been selected as the third leader of the Islamic Republic according to IRIB state TV reports.
At just 56 years old, Khamenei has been viewed as a “hard-line figure with close ties to the powerful Revolutionary Guard.” As a politician and cleric, he’s known as a strong figure, but one lacking religious credentials. While the younger Khamenei was considered a potential leader prior to his father’s attack and death, the older Khamenei was seen as a better fit.
According to NBC News, “Mojtaba Khamenei has not been heard from since the start of the conflict.” In this unsurprising, but controversial pick, Trump told NPR the decision is a waste of time, calling Khamenei’s son a “lightweight.”