Photo: EPA.
The governing body of Iran, known as the Assembly of Experts, has officially announced the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader of the country. This statement was made just after midnight on March 9 local time, according to sources including DW.
On the morning of March 8, media reports emerged that the Assembly of Experts had made a decision regarding the new leader of the Islamic Republic, but the name of the successor was not disclosed. This occurred just a week after the death of Ali Khamenei due to an operation carried out by the U.S. and Israel.
Some domestic sources reported on March 3 that 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei had been appointed as the new Supreme Leader of Iran. This information was confirmed by anonymous sources, as noted in DW materials.
On March 8, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on their microblog X their intentions to continue pursuing anyone who takes the position of Ali Khamenei's successor.
Donald Trump, the President of the United States, also commented on this, stating that the new Supreme Leader of Iran "won't last long" if Tehran does not receive the approval of the White House. "If he doesn't get our approval, he won't last long. We want to be sure that we don't have to come back to this issue every 10 years," Trump commented, as reported by ABC News.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei
"BBC Russian Service" provides information about the new Supreme Leader of Iran.Mojtaba Khamenei was born on September 8, 1969, in Mashhad and is the second of six children of Ali Khamenei. He received his secondary education at the "Alavi" religious school in Tehran.
According to Iranian sources, at the age of 17, he underwent short-term military service during the Iran-Iraq War.
In 1999, he went to Qom, a holy city and an important center of Shia theology, to continue his religious education.
Currently, Mojtaba holds the position of a mid-level cleric, which may pose an obstacle to his further advancement.
Recently, some media and officials have started referring to him as "Ayatollah," which is a high spiritual title. In the Iranian religious system, the title "Ayatollah" and teaching at advanced levels are considered necessary for the selection of a future Supreme Leader.
However, it is worth noting that Ali Khamenei also received the title of "Ayatollah" shortly after his appointment as Supreme Leader in 1989.
****
On February 28, Israel and the U.S. conducted strikes against Iran, after which Donald Trump announced his intentions to destroy the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic.In response, Iran began attacking territories in Israel and other Middle Eastern countries where U.S. military bases are located. The strikes were directed at Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Riyadh.
As a result of the U.S.-Israeli operation, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, and shortly thereafter, his wife, Mansoureh Khodjasteh, died from her injuries.
Trump noted that the military operation in Iran would take about four weeks, while Iran declared jihad against the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing its lack of intention to negotiate.
The situation in the Middle East is affecting global events, including in Kyrgyzstan. Currently, thousands of tourists are stranded due to the conflict in the UAE. Contact details for embassies and consulates for citizens of Kyrgyzstan abroad can be found here.
