Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s New Supreme Leader?
The selection of a son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike on his compound at the start of the war, could anger Iranians seeking change.
The selection of a son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a strike on his compound at the start of the war, could anger Iranians seeking change.
The succession of the slain leader’s son is seen as a signal of the Islamic republic’s defiance of Israel and the United States, and of continuity during crisis.
Iranian state media reported that the country’s top clerics have identified who will replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They have not released his name.
Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a close confidant of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Iran was determined to avenge the killing of the leader.
The U.S. and Israel have pounded Iran’s leadership and undercut its defense capabilities, but President Trump has offered wildly different explanations for what he hopes to achieve.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian president, apologized for Iranian strikes on Gulf states before backtracking after criticism from other Iranian leaders. Despite his remarks, Iran has continued its attacks.
The waves of bombings reveal a broad effort to ravage the country’s leadership and security services.
Israel’s air forces shifted their focus back to Iran on Friday after a night of heavy bombardment in Lebanon, which was quickly becoming one of the largest fronts in the regional conflict.