Mojtaba Khamenei Appointed Iran's Supreme Leader After Contentious Succession Battle

Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February 2026 amid the Iran-US-Israel war, Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Iran's new Supreme Leader after a contentious succession process. His rise involved intense power struggles among clerics, military leaders, and rival factions during wartime, with secret deliberations by the Assembly of Experts. Mojtaba, previously a low-profile figure linked to the Basij and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, secured leadership amid deep divisions within Iran's ruling elite.