March 04, (THEWILL) — Fresh uncertainty has gripped the Middle East as the United States issued a stern warning to Tehran, while Israeli media reported that Mojtaba Khamenei has been selected to succeed his late father, Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
Israel’s Ynet News, quoting senior Israeli officials, said Iran’s Assembly of Experts is expected to formally announce Mojtaba Khamenei as successor in the coming hours.
However, there has been no confirmation from Iranian state media, leaving the development unverified as of press time.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that the 56-year-old cleric had emerged as the leading candidate for the powerful position.
The newspaper claimed that the Assembly of Experts allegedly elected him under intense pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Mojtaba, the second eldest son of the late supreme leader, is believed to have played a significant behind-the-scenes role in managing his father’s office for years.
Reports indicate that he maintains close ties with senior figures in the IRGC, including its elite Quds Force, making him a central figure within Iran’s security and political establishment.
Israeli media described Mojtaba as more hard-line than his father, alleging that he was influential in the crackdown on anti-government protests in recent years.
In November 2019, the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on him, designating him for representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or formally appointed to a government position.
The Treasury Department stated at the time that Ali Khamenei had delegated aspects of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba, who reportedly worked closely with the IRGC-Qods Force and the Basij Resistance Force to advance what Washington described as Tehran’s destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic policies.
There have also been longstanding media claims that Mojtaba Khamenei has access to luxury properties in London and financial accounts in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, allegations Iranian authorities have previously denied.
Meanwhile, Commander of the United States Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, warned that ongoing US-led military operations against Iran would continue without pause.
“Our military objectives are crystal clear, and our people are executing an immensely complex and historic mission with relentless lethality, conviction, and professionalism. And we’ve just begun. But I have the utmost confidence that we, alongside our partners, will absolutely achieve our military objectives,” Cooper said.
The conflict in West Asia has entered its fourth day following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran that reportedly killed Ali Khamenei and other senior figures.
In retaliation, Tehran has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and Israeli assets across the region, escalating fears of a broader regional war.
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