Mojtaba Khamenei’s ascension as Iran’s new supreme leader might have appeared straightforward, even predestined. Larijani, a close confidant of the elder Khamenei, argued that the virtual vote for Mojtaba Khamenei was invalid because the constitution mandates that assembly members vote in person. The generalsA poster in Tehran shows the first leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini; the second leader, Ali Khamenei; and the new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. The Revolutionary Guard generals running the war and backing Mojtaba Khamenei were outraged, according to the Iranian officials and the three guard members. And, at least publicly, Iran’s establishment closed ranks behind the new supreme leader, who has yet to be seen in public.

Source: The Irish Times March 17, 2026 14:47 UTC