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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei''s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is indicated to be the new Supreme Leader of Iran, Reuters reported on Sunday, citing a senior Iranian cleric who was involved in the vote to choose the new supreme leader, although a formal announcement is awaited. As per Reuters, Ayatollah Hosseinali Eshkevari, a member of the Assembly of Experts, made the remarks in a video published in Iranian media. Eshkevari is one of the 88 members of the assembly, who said in the video message, "The name of Khamenei will continue".
As per Reuters, he added, "The vote has been cast and will be announced soon", without providing further details. The development comes after US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed his desire to be personally involved in selecting Iran''s next Supreme Leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel joint military strike last week, as reported by Axios. In an exclusive interview with Axios, Trump said he wanted a role in the appointment of Iran''s next leader, drawing a comparison to his involvement in political developments in Venezuela in January following the capture of its former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a US military operation. He also criticised the possible succession of the son of the late supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is widely viewed as a leading contender for the position. "They are wasting their time. Khamenei''s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela," Trump said, as quoted by Axios. Trump described Mojtaba Khamenei as "unacceptable" and said he would prefer a leader who could bring "harmony and peace" to Iran, warning that a continuation of his father''s policies could lead to renewed conflict with the United States in the future. "Khamenei''s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran," the US President added, according to Axios. Earlier reports had also suggested that Mojtaba Khamenei, a 56-year-old cleric with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is widely seen as the frontrunner for the position. However, the Iranian government, via the Consulate General in Mumbai, refuted reports of Mojtaba Khamenei being named as his late father Ayatollah Khamenei''s successor. In a post on X on Wednesday, the Consulate said, "Reports circulating on media regarding potential candidates for leadership selected by Iran''s Assembly of Experts have no official source and are officially denied." This comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran. In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries. Now in its 9th day, the conflict has seen the humanitarian toll in Iran continuing to rise. According to Al Jazeera, the scale of the devastation is mounting, with official figures revealing that "over 1,300 people have been killed" since the violence began. The intensification of the fighting is such that "around 100,000 have been displaced", as residents are "forcing many to flee their homes" in search of safety. This mass movement of people has overwhelmed relief efforts, as the UN refugee agency reports a "surge in urgent calls for assistance" to address the growing needs of the affected population. (ANI)
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