Mojtaba Khamenei named Iran’s 3rd Supreme Leader

In a historic and controversial shift, Iranian state television announced early Monday, March 9, 2026, that Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed to succeed his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Supreme Leader. The decision by the Assembly of Experts marks the first hereditary transfer of power since the 1979 Revolution. The appointment comes just eight days after a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike killed the elder Khamenei, escalating tensions as President Trump signals the selection is "unacceptable."