Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran’s New Supreme Leader

Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, according to an announcement by Iranian state television early Monday.

Mojtaba had long been viewed as a potential successor to his father, even before the veteran leader was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike at the start of the ongoing conflict in the region. Despite his strong influence within the country’s political and religious circles, Mojtaba has never held elected office or formally served in a government position.

As supreme leader, he will hold ultimate authority over Iran’s key state institutions and strategic decisions, including defence and foreign policy. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s elite military force, answers directly to the supreme leader.

Meanwhile, the conflict has drawn increasingly sharp reactions from global leaders. Donald Trump said in an interview with ABC News that the United States should have a say in determining Iran’s future leadership after the war, warning that any new leader “is not going to last long” without American approval.

Separately, the U.S. military confirmed that a seventh American service member has died from injuries sustained during an Iranian attack while stationed in Saudi Arabia. Six other casualties were reported earlier when an Iranian strike hit a port facility in Kuwait on March 1.

U.S. intelligence officials also believe Russia may have shared information with Iran to help target American forces and assets across the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by saying that military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow “is not something new.”

At the same time, investigations are continuing into a deadly explosion at an elementary school in Iran on February 28. Evidence increasingly suggests the blast may have been caused by a U.S. airstrike.

The incident resulted in the highest civilian death toll since the conflict began, prompting strong criticism from the United Nations and several human rights groups. Washington has not accepted responsibility but said it is reviewing the allegations.

The war has continued to exact a heavy toll across the region. Officials say at least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, more than 300 in Lebanon, and around a dozen in Israel since the fighting began.