Mojtaba Khamenei, born in 1969, is the second son of the late Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei. He is considered one of the most influential and prominent figures within the Khamenei household's political circle.
اضافة اعلان
In recent years, Mojtaba Khamenei has appeared at various events alongside figures from the moderate current, such as Hassan Rouhani, Ali Larijani, and Mohammad Javad Zarif. His name has frequently circulated in the past as a potential candidate to succeed his father as Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba married Zahra Haddad-Adel, the daughter of Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, the former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament. Haddad-Adel has held numerous positions, including parliamentary membership and presidency, head of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Deputy Minister of Education, and membership in the Expediency Discernment Council and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, in addition to his work as a university professor.
Zahra Haddad-Adel was assassinated alongside the late Leader in the Israeli-American attack that targeted him at his home.
Additional Details: Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei was born on September 8, 1969, in the Iranian city of Mashhad. He is the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh. He studied the principles of Islamic jurisprudence at the Qom Seminary and served in the Iranian military for a period during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.
Mojtaba Khamenei holds the title of Hujjat al-Islam, a religious rank reflecting his position within the Shia religious hierarchy. However, he has not held any elected state positions throughout his life. Despite this, his name remained linked to significant influence within Iran’s political and religious elite. He is known for his close ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which bolstered his role in political decision-making despite his absence from long-term official posts.
How was he elected Supreme Leader?
According to announcements by Iranian and official media, the Assembly of Experts—the constitutional body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader—decided to elect Mojtaba Khamenei by a majority vote in an extraordinary session held following his father's death.
The Assembly, which consists of 88 senior clerics, is the only body constitutionally authorized to select the Supreme Leader. This is the highest position in the Iranian system, wielding broad authority over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as the armed forces. Statements from Assembly members indicated that Mojtaba’s selection was approved by the majority, although some official details, such as the full disclosure of results, have not yet been released in Iranian media.
Moral and Political Historical Background
Mojtaba Khamenei’s name has been a subject of discussion in political and expert circles for years. He emerged as one of the strongest candidates to succeed his father, particularly given his influence within the circles of power and his close relationship with the Revolutionary Guard, which is considered the most prominent actor in Tehran's domestic and foreign policy.
