United States’ President, Donald Trump says the new Iran”s Supreme Leader, ,“Mojtaba Khamenei, “will not last long” .
His reaction followed the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader Ali Khamenei as the new Supreme.leader.
Mojtaba , 56-year-old cleric, long regarded as a powerful but secretive figure within Iran’s ruling circle, has officially become the country’s new supreme leader following the death of his father during recent airstrikes linked to the conflict involving the United States and Israel.
His emergence immediately drew criticism from Donald Trump, who warned that Iran’s new leader “will not last long” unless Washington approves his leadership. Trump also suggested that the United States should have a say in who leads Iran to ensure the country does not continue its nuclear ambitions.
Despite the warning, Iranian authorities proceeded with Mojtaba’s appointment, a move analysts say signals Tehran’s determination to maintain its current political and military direction even as tensions escalate.
A powerful but mysterious figure
Unlike his father, Mojtaba Khamenei has never held an official government position and has rarely spoken publicly. However, experts say he wielded significant influence behind the scenes for years, acting as a key gatekeeper to his father and maintaining strong ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Those connections have allowed him to build support among Iran’s security and religious elite. Analysts have even described him as a “mini supreme leader” who quietly helped shape major decisions within the regime.
Mojtaba’s rise comes at a particularly dangerous moment. The ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has already placed the country’s leadership under intense pressure.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that any new Iranian supreme leader would become a direct target for elimination, while Washington continues to demand major changes to Tehran’s policies.
Because of the threat, the new leader has reportedly remained out of public view since the war intensified, raising speculation that he may be operating from a secure location.
Iran signals defiance
Political observers say the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei demonstrates that Iran’s leadership is determined to survive and resist external pressure.
By choosing the son of the former leader someone widely viewed as a hard-line figure, the Iranian establishment appears to be signalling that it will continue its current policies despite growing military and diplomatic challenges.
