To the surprise of few, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has elected Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the next Supreme Leader of Iran, or as Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey referred to him last week, Nepotollah.
Although Mojtaba is the second-eldest son, he is considered the “most powerful and politically influential.”
Fox News reported that Mojtaba’s “early childhood coincided with his father’s rise as a revolutionary figurehead opposing the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.” Since that time, he was regularly seen at his father’s side and over time, “even regarded as an influential figure behind the scenes.”
After attending Alavi High School in Tehran, “a school that is known for educating members of Iran’s political and religious elite,” Mojtaba began his formal clerical training. He studied under both his father and Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, who later served as Iran’s chief justice.
The New York Times reports that Mojtaba joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp in 1987 and served briefly at the end of the Iran-Iraq War. He has reportedly maintained ties with the IRGC, which advocated for his appointment as supreme leader.
In 2019, Mojtaba was sanctioned by the U.S.:
The U.S. Treasury Department stated that he had been “representing the supreme leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father.”The Treasury also said that the supreme leader had delegated part of his leadership responsibilities to Mojtaba.It said he worked closely with commanders of the IRGC’s Quds Force and the Basij Resistance Force, positioning him as a key player in both domestic and international security affairs.
Although it’s impossible to confirm information about him found on the internet, Mojtaba appears to be fabulously wealthy. For starters, he allegedly owns a portfolio of luxury properties in London valued at more than £100 million.
Interestingly, when the Assembly of Experts met in 2024 to discuss succession planning for Ali Khamenei, he reportedly made clear that he opposed the idea of his own son being appointed as his successor.
There was significant disagreement among factions within the Assembly of Experts over Mojtaba’s appointment to the top job. In the end, however, his qualifications may not matter.
Clearly, Mojtaba begins his tenure much as other emergency successors in Tehran have — with a target on his back. The years he spent operating quietly behind the scenes are over. As supreme leader, the low profile that once protected him is no longer possible.
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