March 8, 2026
News | SUNTV Global
Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel.
Iranian state media confirmed on Sunday that the powerful Assembly of Experts approved Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new top authority after emergency deliberations held in Tehran.
According to Reuters, Mojtaba Khamenei, a mid-ranking cleric with strong connections to the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had long been considered by sections of Iran’s political and security establishment as a potential successor to his father.
The late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, reportedly died on February 28, 2026, after airstrikes targeted his office within a secured compound in Tehran. The coordinated attacks were aimed at key Iranian leadership and military infrastructure.
Both Iranian state television and officials from the United States confirmed his death, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions across the Middle East.
Despite Iran’s political ideology historically rejecting hereditary succession, Mojtaba’s close ties to the Revolutionary Guards and the influence of his father’s long-standing leadership reportedly played a decisive role in securing his appointment.
Iran has declared 40 days of national mourning following the death of Ali Khamenei, who had led the country since 1989, making him one of the longest-serving leaders in the region.
During his decades in power, Khamenei shaped Iran’s hardline stance toward Israel and Western nations, while promoting the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” a network of allied armed groups operating across Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Palestine.
His death and the swift appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei are expected to further intensify geopolitical tensions in the region, as Western allies including the United Kingdom continue defensive military mobilization amid threats of retaliation from Tehran.
SUNTV Global will continue to monitor developments across the Middle East and provide updates as the situation unfolds.
