Mojtaba Khamenei

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Trump Changed Tune on Iran After Back-Channel Mediation: Sources

Riyadh talks, Hormuz crisis, and secret envoys reshape US-Iran standoff: sources

(Newser) - Before dawn Thursday, top diplomats from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan huddled in the Saudi capital, scrambling to open a back channel to Iran's most powerful force, the Revolutionary Guard, officials tell the Wall Street Journal . Their pitch: a five-day pause in fighting and a plan to reopen...

Iran Warns 'Tourist Destinations' Aren't Safe for Its Enemies

As Khamenei says enemies need to have their 'security' taken away

(Newser) - Iran's top military spokesman warned Friday that "parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations" worldwide won't be safe for Tehran's enemies. The threat from Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi renewed concerns that Iran may revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic, reports the AP . Friday's show...

Trump: US Unsure if New Iranian Leader Is Alive

He notes that Khamenei hasn't been seen in public, which 'could be for a lot of different reasons'

(Newser) - President Trump says the US isn't sure whether Iran's new supreme leader is even alive. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, the president said his administration has conflicting information about Mojtaba Khamenei's condition. "I mean, a lot of people are saying that he'...

Iran's New Leader Appointed Against Father's Wishes: Report

Ali Khamenei viewed son as unqualified, intellectually limited, sources say

(Newser) - Iran's new supreme leader reportedly inherited a job his father didn't want him to have. CBS News reports that US intelligence shared with President Trump indicates the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had doubts about his son Mojtaba Khamenei's abilities and suitability to succeed him, viewing him as...

2 EU Nations Are Reportedly Talking With Iran Over Hormuz

Officials tell FT that France, Italy have moved to restart Gulf energy flows without escalating conflict

(Newser) - European leaders are quietly testing a diplomatic side door around the Strait of Hormuz crisis. France and Italy have opened exploratory talks with Iran over securing safe passage for commercial ships, hoping to restart oil and gas flows through the narrow waterway without sliding deeper into the regional war, officials...

Hegseth: Khamenei Is 'Wounded,' 'Likely Disfigured'

As Trump says Iran's new leader is 'damaged,' 'probably alive in some form'

(Newser) - Iran's new supreme leader is alive but apparently not unscathed, according to top US officials. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Mojtaba Khamenei has been injured in the ongoing US-Israeli campaign, telling reporters the "so-called, not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured." He added that Washington is "on plan to defeat,...

New Iranian Leader Issues a Defiant First Statement

Mojtaba Khamenei vows to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed

(Newser) - Iran's new supreme leader has used his debut public statement to double down on a crisis that's already rattling oil markets. Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday backed the continued shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz , calling it a lever to "pressure the enemy," and warned that all...

Iran's Government Looks to Be Holding

US and Israeli strikes fail to significantly weaken ruling regime: Reuters

(Newser) - Iran's government is taking heavy hits but, for now, it isn't wobbling, according to US intelligence. Three sources who have seen recent assessments tell Reuters that a wide range of reports point to the same conclusion: Iran's ruling system remains coherent and in charge of the population, despite nearly two...

Another Khameini Is Now in Hiding, and Reportedly Injured

Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's new supreme leader, is said to be holed up in heavily guarded location

(Newser) - Iran's new supreme leader has yet to show his face, and both Iranian and Israeli officials say there's a physical reason why. Three days after Mojtaba Khamenei was declared successor to his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Feb. 28, the 56-year-old...

Trump: Iran War Is 'Pretty Much' Complete

He says it's 'very far ahead of schedule'

(Newser) - President Trump suggested Monday that the war in Iran could be nearing the finish line. "I think the war is very complete, pretty much," he told CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang. "They have no navy, no communications, they've got no air force. Their missiles are down...

Trump: End of War Will Be Mutual Call With Netanyahu

President tells Israeli outlet that the strikes may have saved Israel from destruction

(Newser) - It's not clear when the Iran war will end, but President Trump says it will be a (mostly) joint decision between him and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. "I think it's mutual ... a little bit," he tells the Times of Israel . "I'll make a decision...

What We Know About Iran's New Supreme Leader
Iran's New Leader Seen
as 'Most Dangerous Man'
the rundown
Mar 9, 2026 6:46 AM CDT

Iran's New Leader Seen as 'Most Dangerous Man'

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is thought to be more hardline than his late father

(Newser) - Iran has a new supreme leader, and his ascension to the post doesn't appear to bode well for a quick end to the war. Iran's Assembly of Experts picked Mojtaba Khamenei , the 56-year-old son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after the latter was killed by airstrikes. A quick look:...

Trump Says He Must Help Choose Iran's Next Leader

He rejects Mojtaba Khamenei, insists on influencing succession process

(Newser) - President Trump says he doesn't just want a say in Iran's future leadership, he insists he has to help pick the next supreme leader. In an interview with Axios on Thursday, Trump said he considers Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son and widely seen favorite...

Khamenei's Likely Successor Emerges
Khamenei's Likely
Successor Emerges
Mar 4, 2026 12:00 AM CST

Khamenei's Likely Successor Emerges

Reclusive Mojtaba Khamenei backed by Revolutionary Guards amid succession talks

(Newser) - Iran's powerful clerical body is moving toward a dynastic handoff at the very top. Three Iranian officials who spoke to the New York Times say Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as the leading candidate to inherit his father's post...

In the Shadows, Ayatollah's Son Calls the Shots

Mojtaba Khamenei has power throughout the security apparatus

(Newser) - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rarely appears in public and cultivates a shadowy reputation—but even further out of the public eye, his son has become one of the post powerful men in Iran. Ultraconservative cleric Mojtaba Khamenei, believed to be around 50 years old, has connections throughout the Revolutionary Guards and...

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