Iran Has a New Supreme Spiritual Leader

Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, has been officially introduced as Iran's new spiritual leader. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has pledged loyalty to the new spiritual leader.

Unlike his father, Mojtaba Khamenei has remained in the shadows for many years. He has never held public office, made public speeches, or given interviews. There are only a few samples of his photographs and videos available in open sources.

However, for years, there have been rumors that he has considerable influence in the depths of Iran's politics. In US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s, he was described as the 'real power behind the scenes'—a man considered 'capable and decisive' within the power structure.

Nonetheless, his selection could be controversial. The Islamic Republic was founded in 1979 after the overthrow of the monarchy, and its ideology is based on the principle that the supreme leader should be chosen based on religious authority and proven leadership qualities, rather than hereditary succession.

During his tenure, Ali Khamenei has only spoken about the future leadership of the Islamic Republic in very general terms. Two years ago, a member of the Assembly of Experts (the body that elects the supreme leader) stated that Ali Khamenei was opposed to the idea of naming his son as a future candidate. However, he has never publicly commented on such speculations.