Iran Names Mojtaba Khamenei as the New Supreme Leader

What Happened?

Following the killing of Iran’s former supreme leader, the Iranian Council of experts has named a new supreme leader, and he is the son of the former head of Iran’s government.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who is fifty-six years old, is the new supreme leader of Iran, effective immediately. Israel has vowed to eliminate anyone appointed to the post of supreme leader, and President Trump called the selection unacceptable.

While some Iranians celebrated the news, others criticized his appointment, referring to the new supreme leader as ‘aghazadeh,’ a term Iranians use to describe the sons and daughters of wealthy leaders, and which often denotes corruption. 

Why it Matters

The relatively quick selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader is an indicator that Iran’s government is still functioning, and that the ruling regime has no intentions of surrendering to Israel and the United States anytime soon.

That sentiment could change, but for the moment, the new supreme leader appears set to continue the same policies and style of rule as his father. Since Israel has vowed to kill anyone named supreme leader, he will likely become a high-value target for the Israeli Air Force.

Mojtaba Khamanei served in the Iranian armed forces during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s, though whether he was involved in direct combat is not widely known. He is also a cleric, having received religious credentials in Qom, the most respected Shi’ite center of religious learning.

Having established lifelong ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, it is likely Mojtaba is a hardliner who will run Iran in much the same way his father did.

For Iranians, the appointment of the son of the former supreme leader is a clear signal that the current regime intends to continue with the status quo in Iran. The former supreme leader was unpopular and widely viewed as corrupt, but his killing by Israeli forces could give his son newfound credibility with the Iranian people.

The new supreme leader could also be seen as someone who is just as corrupt as the previous one, and how the Iranian people respond to his appointment will go a long way towards determining whether or not the current regime remains intact.

While both the Israeli and American governments have encouraged Iranians to revolt and overthrow the ruling regime in Tehran, thus far, that has not happened. Iranians have received mixed signals, as the Trump Administration has also told ordinary Iranians to stay indoors during the current air campaign against Iran.

An uprising while airstrikes continue against Iran seems unlikely because many Iranians are scared to leave their homes.

How it Affects You

The appointment of a new supreme leader in Iran suggests the war is unlikely to come to a swift end. Iran appears ready to continue fighting for the foreseeable future, as do Israel and the United States. The wildcard remains the Iranian people, and if they were to continue the uprising that started, then ended, in January, the situation could change quickly.