Amid US President Donald Trump’s demand to “choose” the next leader of Iran, Iranian institutions have rallied in support of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was elected to the country’s top post by the Assembly of Experts on Sunday.
Who pledged support to Mojtaba Khamenei?
According to reports, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, parliament speaker, the Supreme National Security Council, Intelligence Ministry, the Basij paramilitary organization, and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), have pledged allegiance to Mojtaba Khamenei, and vowed to support the new Supreme Leader.
According to geopolitical experts, Iran’s support for Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader is unequivocal message of unity in wake of assassination threats from Israel and the Trump demanding a say in picking Iran’s new leader, Al Jazeera reported.
Why Iran’s support for Mojtaba is a message for US, Israel?
Iran has attempted to convey that despite the assassination of Ali Khamenei and other top political and military leaders, overthrowing the regime in Tehran is not going to be a cakewalk for even the combined power of the US and Israel.
While Iranian people are awaiting an address from their new Supreme Leader, experts believe the current security situation makes it extremely risky for Mojtaba Khamenei to appear in public, especially as Israel has openly threatened to target Iranian leadership.
On Sunday, the Assembly of Experts– an 88-member body of top Iranian Shia clerics– announced the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of Iran. The leadership transition marks a significant moment in Iran’s political history, as Mojtaba Khamenei becomes the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is the son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on his office/residential compound in Central Tehran on the first day of the Iran war on February 28.
Notably, Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra, was also killed in the attack, along with her father-in-law, Ali Khamenei, and other family members.
As per experts, Mojtaba Khamenei is considered a more hardline figure than his late father, and is believed to be the IRGC’s pick for the supreme leader’s post. While Mojtaba has largely remained out of public view, many believe he was instrumental in key decisions during his father’s tenure.
The 56-year-old, while not particularly high-ranking in Iran’s clerical hierarchy, enjoys the trust of clerics, which aided his election as Supreme Leader. He has also served in the military during the Iraq-Iran war.
