Opposition source claims Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding him, while reports allege Iran’s Revolutionary Guard pressured clerics to install the younger Khamenei after his father’s death.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly opposed the idea of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeding him as leader of the Islamic Republic, according to a report published by the New York Post.
The report cited comments from Khosro Isfahani, identified as a research director for the opposition group National Union for Democracy, who said the elder Khamenei addressed the succession issue directly in his will and explicitly urged that Mojtaba not take power.
“In Khamenei’s will, he explicitly asked Mojtaba not to be named as successor,” Isfahani told the publication.
Isfahani further claimed the longtime Iranian leader doubted his son’s political experience and ability to govern the country effectively.
“Mojtaba is an impotent young cleric who has achieved nothing in terms of political life,” Isfahani said. “All these years, he has been nothing without his father’s name.”
Despite those reported concerns, Mojtaba Khamenei ultimately emerged as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father during joint U.S.–Israeli airstrikes targeting senior Iranian leadership.
According to the report, the succession process was marked by significant resistance among Iran’s clerical establishment. Isfahani alleged that the Assembly of Experts—the body responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme leader—did not initially support Mojtaba Khamenei.
“The Assembly of Experts that was supposed to pick the replacement of Khamenei didn’t vote for Mojtaba,” Isfahani said. “There was a lot of pushback against him, but under pressure from the IRGC, he was named as the successor.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s powerful military and security force, was alleged to have played a decisive role in securing the outcome during the deliberations.
The leadership transition has unfolded during a period of escalating conflict between Iran and a U.S.–Israeli coalition engaged in Operation Epic Fury, a campaign targeting Iranian missile systems, naval assets, and military infrastructure.
President Donald Trump has publicly criticized Mojtaba Khamenei’s elevation. In remarks reported by Newsmax, Trump previously described the younger Khamenei as a “lightweight.”
Speaking from Florida, Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with the leadership decision.
“I’m not happy with him,” Trump said.
Trump later suggested that Iran’s new leader may struggle to maintain authority.
“Not going to last long,” he said in remarks to ABC.
Reports surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership have also noted that he has remained largely out of public view since the transition, fueling additional speculation about the stability of Iran’s leadership during the ongoing regional conflict.
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