Iran's Assembly of Experts Unanimously Elects Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader

The Assembly of Experts, Iran's clerical body responsible for appointing the country's highest authority, has unanimously elected Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. The decision was announced in an official statement from the assembly.

The statement declared that "based on the unanimous decision of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei will be presented as the Supreme Leader of Iran." The vote confirms his succession following the death of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a show of immediate allegiance, Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) pledged its loyalty to Mojtaba Khamenei. The military force stated its readiness to follow his orders and directives.

The succession process unfolded after the former leader's death on February 28, which was reportedly a result of strikes by US and Israeli forces. Following his death, a 40-day national mourning period was declared. Interim state affairs were managed by a leadership council consisting of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, and a member of the Guardian Council, Alireza Arafi.

Prior to the official announcement, hints about the succession emerged. A member of the Assembly of Experts had previously indicated to international media that the new leader would be someone with the surname Khamenei. Furthermore, a senior Iranian security official noted that threats from US officials had not deterred the assembly's proceedings or its ultimate decision.