Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old cleric who spent decades as the most powerful “gatekeeper” in the Islamic Republic, was named Iran’s third Supreme Leader on Sunday, formalising a transition from the shadows to the pinnacle of state authority. While his father climbed to the presidency and eventually the supreme leadership in 1989, Mojtaba remained largely out of the public eye. Supreme Leader Office PowersThe office of the Supreme Leader is the central pillar of the Iranian political system, combining religious authority with absolute political and military command. Article 110 of the Iranian constitution grants the Supreme Leader vast powers, including:Determining the general policies of the Islamic Republic after consultation with the Expediency Council. Mojtaba Khamenei becomes only the third person to hold the office since 1979, following the republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, and his late father.

Source: Daily News Egypt March 09, 2026 17:18 UTC