Iran has officially elected Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as its new Supreme Leader. The move signals Tehran's determination to wage all-out resistance by elevating the son of Khamenei, who was "martyred" in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes. Iran has sought to control public opinion by glorifying Mojtaba as a "war hero" who lost family members and was wounded during wartime. Analysts say the Trump administration's strategy to topple the hardline regime has backfired, undermining moderates while strengthening the current system.
With Mojtaba's regime now controlling both religious authority and the military, Iran's resistance against the United States is expected to become far more aggressive. This suggests Tehran may deploy countermeasures previously held in reserve, including hypersonic ballistic missiles with ranges up to 2,000 kilometers.
According to Reuters and other outlets on the 8th (local time), Iran's Assembly of Experts, an 88-member constitutional body, officially announced that Mojtaba has become Supreme Leader overseeing all state affairs. Mojtaba now holds monopoly power over the regular military, the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the IRGC-affiliated Basij militia, the secretive state conglomerate Setad, and state broadcaster IRIB. Iranian media referred to him as a "wounded veteran of Ramadan," indicating he was injured during wartime.
Experts believe Iran has sent a message to the U.S. and Israel that "the martyr's son will lead even fiercer resistance against America." Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East program at British think tank Chatham House, analyzed: "Mojtaba's selection signals continuity of the existing strategy—repression at home and resistance abroad."
Mojtaba reportedly enjoys overwhelming support from hardliners within Iran, including the IRGC. Some assessments suggest he was effectively elevated by the military. Having participated in the war against Iraq in 1987, Mojtaba is known to have built relationships with military and intelligence figures during that period. Bloomberg reported: "Mojtaba had the backing of most of Iran's top hardliners, including the IRGC and the majority of clerics." This explains predictions that Iranian aggression will intensify under Mojtaba's regime. Bloomberg noted: "Under Mojtaba, the IRGC will become more deeply involved in state affairs and will not tolerate internal dissent." Since Mojtaba lacked official titles compared to his father Khamenei and holds a lower rank as a religious leader, he is expected to leverage strong military control.
Iran's military and IRGC declared "complete obedience" to Mojtaba immediately after his selection, pledging their loyalty. IRIB reported that under Mojtaba's command, a missile inscribed with "I will follow your orders, Sayyid Mojtaba" was launched that day. Sayyid is a title indicating descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
With Mojtaba's regime officially launched, Iran has signaled more aggressive retaliation. This suggests a strategic shift from drone-centered operations using Shahed-136s—designed to deplete U.S. and Israeli interceptor missiles—to ballistic missile-focused operations. Iran reportedly possesses approximately 2,000 ballistic missiles with ranges from several hundred to 2,000 kilometers. These include hypersonic missiles such as Khorramshahr-4, Sejjil, and Ghadr with maximum ranges of 2,000 kilometers. The Fattah-1 hypersonic missile Iran launched in June last year penetrated the Iron Dome air defense system and struck major Israeli cities. The Fattah-1, unveiled in 2023, reaches a top speed of Mach 15 and is considered extremely difficult to intercept due to its ability to freely change trajectory during the strike phase.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has opposed Mojtaba's succession as Supreme Leader, warned in an ABC News interview that day: "If the next leader doesn't get our approval, they won't last long." Israel announced it had killed Abu al-Qasem Babaian, who had been designated as Mojtaba's chief of staff. Babaian was also the military director of Iran's Supreme Leadership and chief of staff of the emergency command (Hatam al-Anbiya).