Iran chose a new successor for the supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, appointed March 8 by Iran’s assembly of experts, became Iran’s third supreme leader since the country’s founding in 1979. Khamenei’s positioning occurred a week after Iran’s previous supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died due to an airstrike by Israel and the U.S. Following the strike, Ali Khamenei’s wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, also passed away the following day from a coma caused by the attack. Diplomatic connections reveal that Khamenei recently sustained several injuries to his arms and legs during the attacks, which resulted in his traveling to Russia to receive surgery.
“I think this whole situation is very concerning, actually. I do like the fact that the new supreme leader is his son and not a random guy. I think when a country with as much political influence as Iran suddenly has new leadership, it can create uncertainty about what policies or decisions might come next. I think it’s a moment people all around the world are just watching closely, since new decisions potentially being made by the new leadership could impact stability and security in Iran,” magnet sophomore Kai Jackson said.
Public knowledge of the 56-year-old Khamenei remains limited to the general public, as the masses can hardly access pictures or videos of his face and voice. Despite the lack of information, people speculate that his reign might exceed Ali Khamenei’s strictness. Before Khamenei was appointed Iranian supreme leader, he worked in his father’s shadow and served in the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces during the Iran-Iraq war, which helped him build relationships with key members involved with the Iranian Security Services. Following his service, Khamenei proceeded to study theology to become a cleric under the guidance of various individuals, furthering Khamenei’s connections to religious leaders and political figures. Despite this, the U.S. Intelligence revealed that Khamenei’s father showed weariness towards his son succeeding him in leadership, citing Khamenei’s lack of intelligence and personal issues throughout his life.
In previous years, accusations of Khamenei’s involvement in Iranian politics occurred, leading to major controversies surrounding the issue. During 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Khemenei and his father-in-law for unofficially representing his father without appointment or election. Khamenei also allegedly helped former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad win his re-election campaign by manipulating the presidential elections by distributing money to religious groups to help Ahmadinejad win, which led to widespread protests.
Khamenei’s selection already persists as deeply controversial. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed unhappiness with his lack of control over the selection, stating his beliefs in Khamenei’s inability to keep the peace. The U.S government also has weaponized his absence in order to discount his leadership. Israel also threatened to assassinate any successors to Ali Khamenei in an attempt to exterminate existential threats. In Iran, citizens continue to express discontent with the regime on account of protests that occurred during the last couple of months pertaining to distaste with suppressed economic conditions.
“Personally, I do not have any deep-rooted connection to Iran, but my parents are from there. What I’m hearing from them, at least, is this guy isn’t much better, he’s the same [as the previous leader], if not worse. Since he was born and raised by his father’s beliefs, he’s going to try to enforce them. Since his father was assassinated, there’s been a lot of speculation going around like ‘hey, this guy’s gonna, you know, try to make [this situation] more serious,’” magnet sophomore Adina Binai said.
