Mojtaba Hosseini is the second-oldest son of the late Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran as a supreme leader for almost four decades until his death. In early March 2026, after a US-Israel airstrike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. As per reports, Mojtaba has been picked by Iran’s assembly of experts as the country’s new supreme leader.
The assembly of experts is a body of 88 senior Shiite clerics who, under Iran’s constitution, are responsible for picking the supreme leader. As per several reports, this body has selected Mojtaba to take over, though Iran’s media has not instantly confirmed the decision at the time of reporting.
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Background on Mojtaba
Born in 1969 in Mashhad, Iran, Mojtaba grew up deeply embedded within the country’s clerical elite.He studied religion in the holy city of Qom but has not reached the top clerical rank of ayatollah, which some argue is normally expected of a supreme leader.He also does not officially hold any political office. He has long been explained as a powerful behind-the-scenes figure inside Iran’s political and security establishment.
Why This Matters and the Controversy
The idea of hereditary succession in a theocratic republic is unusual. Iran’s system was drafted after the 1979 revolution to avoid dynastic rule; still, Mojtaba’s rise can be seen as the dynastic transition, raising eyebrows both inside and outside Iran.
Another key point is the reported role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in pushing for Mojtaba’s selection. The IRGC is one of Iran’s most powerful institutions, with a huge impact on politics and security. Various analysts believe that their backing was critical in this decision.
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What This Really Means
If the reports are true and Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei becomes Iran’s next supreme leader, it would mark a major turning point for Iran, for the first time, power would effectively pass from father to son in the Islamic Republic.