What is known about Mojtaba Khamenei, who was chosen as Iran's Supreme Leader?

Photo: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died as a result of US and Israeli strikes, has been chosen as his successor, writes the BBC.

Unlike his father, 56-year-old Mojtaba has long remained in the shadows. He never held government positions, made public speeches, or gave interviews, and only a small number of his photos and videos have been publicly released.

However, for years there have been rumors that he wields significant influence behind the scenes of Iranian politics.

US diplomatic cables, published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s, described him as "power behind the robes" — a man widely considered "capable and determined" in ruling circles, according to the AP agency.

Nevertheless, his selection may prove controversial. The Islamic Republic was founded in 1979 after the overthrow of the monarchy, and its ideology is based on the principle that the supreme leader should be chosen for religious authority and proven leadership qualities, not by heredity.

During his rule, Ali Khamenei spoke about the future leadership of the Islamic Republic only in the most general terms.

A member of the Assembly of Experts — the clerical body that chooses the supreme leader — stated two years ago that Ali Khamenei opposed the idea of nominating his son as a candidate for the future position. However, he himself never publicly commented on such speculation.

So who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Born on September 8, 1969, in the northeastern city of Mashhad, Mojtaba is the second of Khamenei's six children. He received his secondary education at the Alavi religious school in Tehran.

According to Iranian media, at the age of 17, Mojtaba served several short stints in the military during the Iran-Iraq War. This bloody eight-year conflict made the regime even more suspicious of the US and the West, who supported Iraq.

In 1999, Mojtaba went to Qom — a holy city considered one of the most important centers of Shia theology — to continue his religious education. Notably, he had not worn clerical attire until then, and it remains unclear why he decided to enroll in a religious seminary at the age of 30, whereas it is usually done at a younger age.

Mojtaba remains a mid-ranking cleric, which appears to be an obstacle to his advancement to the position of Supreme Leader.

In recent days, some media and officials close to centers of power in Iran have begun to refer to Mojtaba Khamenei as "Ayatollah" — a high clerical title. According to a number of observers, this may be an attempt to raise his religious status and present him as a convincing candidate for the role of leader.

In the system of religious education, obtaining the title "Ayatollah" and teaching at advanced levels are considered indicators of a person's knowledge and are regarded as one of the requirements and conditions for the selection of a future leader.

However, a similar precedent has already occurred. Ali Khamenei received the title "Ayatollah" shortly after becoming the second Supreme Leader in 1989.

Allegations of political interference

Mojtaba's name first came into public focus during the 2005 presidential elections, which ended with the victory of populist-conservative Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In an open letter to Khamenei, reformist candidate Mehdi Karroubi accused Mojtaba of interfering in the voting through the structures of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, which, he claimed, distributed money to religious groups to help Ahmadinejad win.

Four years later, Mojtaba faced the same accusations again. Ahmadinejad's re-election triggered massive protests across the country, known as the "Green Movement". Some protesters chanted slogans against the idea that Mojtaba could succeed his father as Iran's Supreme Leader.

Mostafa Tajzadeh, who was then Deputy Interior Minister, called the results an "electoral coup". He spent seven years in prison and claimed it happened "at the direct behest of Mojtaba Khamenei."

Two reformist candidates — Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi — were placed under house arrest after the 2009 elections. In February 2012, Mojtaba met with Mousavi and urged him to abandon the protest, sources told BBC Persian service.

Many now expect Mojtaba to continue his father's hardline policies.

Some also believe that a man who lost his father, mother, and wife as a result of US and Israeli strikes is unlikely to make concessions under Western pressure.

However, he also faces a difficult task: to ensure the survival of the Islamic Republic and convince society that he is capable of leading the country out of its political and economic crisis.

His leadership qualities largely remain untested, and the perception that the republic is transforming into a hereditary system could further intensify public discontent.

Now Mojtaba is in the crosshairs. Last week, Israel's defense minister stated that anyone who succeeds Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be an "unequivocal target for elimination."

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