5 Photos of Mojtaba Khamenei, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Son and Iran's New Supreme Leader

Mojtaba Khamenei has been named as Iran's new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during US-Israeli strikes last weekend. Iran's Assembly of Experts elected Mojtaba under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards, who had insisted that a new leader be named by 1 March.

The second son of Ayatollah Ali had long been considered the most likely successor, despite reported opposition to a father-to-son succession. He was ultimately elected on the strength of his close ties to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

How Iran's New Supreme Leader Was Chosen

How Iran's New Supreme Leader Was Chosen

Before Mojtaba was named, Iran formed a transitional council to assume all leadership duties, comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of Iran's judiciary, and a member of the Guardian Council selected by Iran's Expediency Council.

The Assembly of Experts, which is composed of 88 members elected by the public every eight years, is the body responsible for selecting a supreme leader when the position becomes vacant through death or resignation. Candidates for membership must first be vetted and approved by the Guardian Council before they can stand for election.

What Are the Qualifications of a Supreme Leader?

Iran's supreme leader is required to be a senior jurist with extensive knowledge of jurisprudence in Shia Islam, the second-largest branch of Islam. The position also demands demonstrated qualities of political judgment, courage and administrative capability.

These requirements are enshrined in the Iranian constitution, which stipulates that the supreme leader must be recognised as a just and pious scholar capable of guiding the Islamic Republic in both religious and political matters. If no single candidate is deemed to meet the full criteria, the Assembly of Experts may select the most qualified individual available. In Mojtaba's case, his religious credentials were considered sufficient, though it was his deep institutional ties to the IRGC that proved decisive in securing the necessary votes within the Assembly.

How Iran Reacted to the Succession

Luciana Zaccara, a professor in Gulf Politics at Qatar University, noted that Iran's political system had long prepared for a succession scenario, given Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's age and the nature of the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.

Mojtaba Khamenei's Personal Life

Mojtaba Khamenei was married to Zahra Haddad-Adel, the daughter of Iranian conservative politician Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel. According to reports, Zahra was killed in the initial strikes on Tehran alongside her father-in-law, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Mojtaba reportedly has five siblings, three brothers and two sisters, who have largely lived private lives despite their father's prominent public role. They are Mostafa, Masoud, Hoda, Meysam and Boshra Khamenei. Mojtaba also has a son, Mohammad Bagher Khamenei, about whom little is publicly known.

Net Worth

Mojtaba's exact net worth is not publicly confirmed, but he is widely reported to hold a vast investment empire spanning Iran and several foreign jurisdictions. His personal assets have been estimated at over $3 billion (approximately £2.225 billion), and a British property portfolio alone was valued at approximately $138 million (roughly £110.4 million), according to reports. The broader Khamenei family financial empire has been estimated at between $95 billion and $200 billion (around £71.145 billion to £149.78 billion) by various analysts.

Originally published on IBTimes UK