Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Mojtaba, the second son of the assassinated Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen to succeed his father as Iran’s supreme leader

Sep 8, 1969: Mojtaba Khamenei born in Mashhad into clerical family

1987-88: Joins Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), serving during latter part of Iran‑Iraq War

Late 1990s: Studies at Qom seminary – Iran’s main centre of Shia religious learning

Early 2000s: Begins teaching in Qom, forging strong connections within country’s religious and political leadership

2004: Marries Zahra Haddad‑Adel, daughter of conservative politician Gholam‑Ali Haddad‑Adel, strengthening ties with hardline establishment

2005: Widely believed to have helped influence sudden rise of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in presidential election

2009: Accused of playing role in suppressing protests by Basij and other security forces after disputed presidential election

2019: Sanctioned by U.S. Treasury for acting in leadership role on behalf of supreme leader without holding formal office

2022: Protests erupt after death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, with critics targeting Mojtaba

2024: Speculation about Mojtaba being positioned for future leadership succession increases following death of President Ebrahim Raisi in helicopter crash

Feb 28,  2026: Ali Khamenei killed in U.S.-Israeli strike

Mar 9: Mojtaba named supreme leader, signalling continuity of hard-line theocratic rule as war with U.S. and Israel continues

Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Reuters, BBC
Picture: Getty Images
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