Despite the Assembly of Experts being targeted by an Israeli strike that seemingly destroyed their meeting place, Iran has reportedly managed to elevate Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei to be the next Supreme Leader of Iran.
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, an Iranian politician, cleric, and eldest son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been elected the next Supreme Leader of Iran under pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Iran International. pic.twitter.com/QBvTEkJCx5
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 3, 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, has been elected Iran’s next Supreme Leader.
— The Iran Watcher 🇮🇷 (@TheIranWatcher) March 3, 2026
According to Iran International, he was selected by the Assembly of Experts after heavy pressure from the IRGC.
This comes despite widespread reports that he had been killed or critically… pic.twitter.com/pUKX370Hjo
This morning, a meeting was held between the Assembly of Experts, a body of Shiite clerics in Iran that has the authority to delegate new leadership. That meeting was targeted by the Israel Defense Forces in a strike that decimated the facility. The entire body is estimated to have been killed in the strikes, but, according to Iran International, were pressured by the IRGC into tapping Mojtaba to lead the Persian state before their deaths.
BREAKING:
— Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) March 3, 2026
Israel just struck a meeting of Iran’s Assembly of Experts while they were voting to choose the new Supreme Leader.
All 88 members have reportedly been ELIMINATED.
pic.twitter.com/HmaDSrJG0U
🚨 JUST IN: In an unprecedented move, Israeli-U.S. airstrikes have obliterated a building in Tehran where the secret Iranian Assembly of Experts was meeting. The top 88 clerics were tallying votes to select the next Supreme Leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/yvO9qMwYJS
— WORLD NEWS (@_MAGA_NEWS_) March 3, 2026
Mojtaba is the son of the now-deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and will take the reins as the third Supreme Leader in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Some had previously reported that Mojtaba Khamenei had been killed during the opening wave of Operation Epic Fury. Mojtaba has yet to make any public statement acknowledging his ascendency.
Mojtaba has close ties with former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, another figure who may actually be dead.