TEHRAN — Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has pledged allegiance to Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after Iranian state media reported that the cleric had been elected as the country’s new supreme leader.
The appointment by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting the country’s top authority, comes days after Ali Khamenei was killed during U.S.–Israeli military strikes that targeted senior Iranian leadership and strategic facilities.
In a statement reported by Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC expressed “respect, devotion and obedience” to Mojtaba Khamenei and pledged “full obedience and self-sacrifice” in carrying out his orders.
Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran from 1989 until his death in 2026, was the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East at the time of his killing and played a central role in shaping Iran’s regional strategy and confrontation with Western powers.
His death triggered a 40-day national mourning period in Iran.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is a mid-ranking Shiite cleric who studied in the religious seminaries of Qom, Iran’s clerical heartland.
Though he has never held elected office, he has long been considered one of the most influential figures behind the scenes of Iranian politics.
He is widely believed to have cultivated deep ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite military force tasked with defending the Islamic Republic, which has helped consolidate his influence within Iran’s conservative power structure.
During his father’s rule, Mojtaba was often described by analysts as a political operator working quietly within the regime’s inner circle.
Controversy
His rise to the country’s highest office has sparked debate among analysts and critics who argue that installing the son of the previous supreme leader risks turning the Islamic Republic into a hereditary political system, something the revolution’s founders had opposed.
Supporters within Iran’s security establishment, however, say the transition ensures continuity at a moment of intense external pressure and military confrontation.
Mojtaba assumes power during one of the most volatile moments in Iran’s modern history, with the country locked in escalating confrontation with Israel and the United States following the strikes that killed his father and other senior officials.
The strong backing of the IRGC could consolidate his position quickly, though the conflict and internal political tensions may test the durability of his leadership.
For now, Iranian authorities are urging national unity as the country navigates both the aftermath of its leader’s assassination and a widening regional conflict.