Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has never held a formal position in government, but his appointment to succeed his late father in the midst of a US-Israeli war over his country was not unexpected.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed the 56-year-old middle-ranking religious scholar to the post on Sunday, a week after his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a United States-Israeli strike.
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Khamenei, who has strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and his late father’s still-influential office, is seen as a hardliner who can provide continuity in the country.
His appointment, which comes after he lost both his father and his wife in strikes, has been interpreted as a protest choice that symbolizes continuity as the Islamic Republic faces the biggest crisis in its 47-year history.
Khamenei received immediate support from figures in Iran’s political and security establishment, including IRGC leaders, President Massoud Pezheshkian, and Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Outside the country, mixed reactions:
Oman
Oman was a mediator in recent talks between Iran and the United States, which collapsed last month when the US and Israel unleashed their war on Iran.
Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said sent a “congratulatory cable” to Khamenei on Monday on his appointment as Iran’s new supreme leader, the official Oman News Agency said.
Iraq
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani also congratulated Khamenei on his appointment on Monday.
“We express our confidence in the ability of the new leadership in the Islamic Republic of Iran to handle this delicate phase and continue to strengthen the unity of the Iranian people in facing the current challenges,” al-Sudani said in a statement.
He reiterated Iraq’s solidarity and support for Iran and that “all steps are aimed at ending the conflict and rejecting military operations against its sovereignty, in order to preserve the stability of other countries in the region”.
United States
US President Donald Trump had previously dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as a “lightweight” and demanded he have a say in appointing a new Iranian leader, which Tehran rejected.
On Monday, Trump told NBC News, “I think they made a big mistake. I don’t know if it’s going to last. I think they made a mistake.”
Later Monday, she told CBS News: “I don’t have a message for him.”
Trump said he had someone in mind to lead Iran, but did not elaborate.
Israel
The Israeli military has already threatened to kill anyone who replaces the late Ali Khamenei.
Israel’s foreign ministry said on Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei was a “tyrant” like his slain father and would continue what it described as the “brutality of the regime” in Iran.
A post on X included a picture of Mojtaba Khamenei and his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holding guns, with the ministry writing: “Moztaba Khamenei. Like father like son”.
“Mojtaba Khamenei’s hands are already stained by the bloodshed that defined his father’s rule. Another dictator to continue the brutality of the Iranian regime,” the ministry said.
Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged “unwavering support” to Iran on Monday.
“I would like to reiterate our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends,” Putin said in a message to Khamenei, adding that “Russia is and will remain a reliable partner for Iran.”
“At a time when Iran is facing armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication,” the Russian leader said.
China
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters on Monday that Iran’s decision to appoint the younger Khamenei was “based on its constitution.”
“China opposes interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under any pretext and must respect Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” he said when asked about the threats against the new leader.
Beijing has condemned the assassination of Tehran’s close ally and former supreme leader, but it has criticized Iranian counterattacks against Gulf states.
Yemen’s Houthis
Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Monday welcomed the appointment of a new supreme leader.
“We congratulate the Islamic Republic of Iran, its leadership and people for electing Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution at this important and important juncture,” the group said in a statement on Telegram.
It called his election “a new victory for the Islamic revolution and a resounding blow to the enemies of the Islamic Republic and the enemies of the nation.”
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