Iran's New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Brings Hardline Ties to Power
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been named as Iran's new Supreme Leader. He was chosen by the Assembly of Experts and is seen as a hardline continuity signal rather than an opening for negotiation.
Khamenei's appointment comes days after his father was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28th. This led to widespread market volatility, with Bitcoin briefly falling below $66,000 as oil prices surged.
The IRGC immediately pledged full obedience to the new Supreme Leader, who has deep ties to the Revolutionary Guard and spent decades as an informal power broker in his father's office.