Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been elected as Iran’s next Supreme Leader, according to Israeli media reports. His appointment was confirmed by Iran’s Assembly of Experts.
Ayatollah Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, was killed on February 28 during joint US-Israeli strikes on his compound. The attack also claimed the lives of his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. His wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, later succumbed to injuries sustained in the strike.
Khamenei will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, with a large farewell ceremony planned in Tehran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards said on Telegram.
The strikes, named “Operation Epic Fury,” targeted multiple Iranian cities, including Tehran, following stalled nuclear negotiations and reports that Iran had resumed nuclear activity. The attacks have reportedly killed over 700 people.
In retaliation, Iran launched missile strikes on Gulf regions, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Bahrain, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump warned that it is “too late” for Iran to seek talks to avoid a wider conflict.
