Son of last shah says Iran clerics' next leader will be illegitimateWASHINGTON, United States, March 5, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The son of the last shah toppled in Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution said Thursday that whoever the clerical government chooses to succeed the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be illegitimate. Khamenei was Iran's top leader since 1989, pursuing a hardline policy of repressing dissent at home, developing a contested nuclear program and confronting regional rivals led by Israel. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Khamenei, is among the contenders to succeed his father. He has said that he wants to be a transitional leader before a referendum is called to establish a secular democracy. The lion was a symbol of the ousted monarchy while the sun has deep resonance in Iran' pre-Islamic Zoroastrian tradition.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 05, 2026 16:22 UTC