Iran's Crypto War Chest Grows Under New Supreme Leader

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has been named the new supreme leader of Iran by the Assembly of Experts, marking the first father-to-son succession in the country's history.

The appointment was met with full obedience from the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), which pledged its loyalty to Mojtaba. His ties to the IRGC date back decades, and he spent years as an informal power broker in his father's office.

Analysts see this as a hardline continuity signal rather than an opening for negotiation, given Iranian armed forces' ability to sustain at least six months of high-intensity conflict at current operational pace.

The appointment comes amid ongoing tensions with Israel and the US. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen warned that refineries and power stations remain on the target list after recent strikes on fuel depots in Tehran's Kuhak and Shahran districts.