Reports circulating in international media claim that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as the country’s next Supreme Leader. However, the situation remains uncertain and evolving, and there has been no widely confirmed official announcement from Iranian state authorities yet.
What the latest reports say
Several news outlets reported that the powerful clerical body responsible for selecting Iran’s Supreme Leader — the Assembly of Experts — has allegedly chosen Mojtaba Khamenei as the successor to his father. According to these reports, the decision was made after the death of Ali Khamenei in late February 2026 during a series of Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran.
The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of clerics, has the constitutional authority to appoint the country’s Supreme Leader. Sources cited by international media claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was selected during internal deliberations of the council.
However, some reports also indicate that discussions were still ongoing among senior clerics, and Mojtaba was only emerging as the leading candidate rather than a fully confirmed appointment.
The Death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, was killed on February 28, 2026, during airstrikes attributed to the United States and Israel. His death marked a major turning point for the Islamic Republic, triggering immediate questions about succession in a system where the Supreme Leader holds ultimate authority over political, military, and religious matters.
Under Iran’s constitution, the Assembly of Experts—an 88-member body of clerics—is responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader. Following Khamenei’s death, an interim leadership council was reportedly formed to manage affairs temporarily while the assembly deliberated.