The New York Times said that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has become the front-runner to assume the nation's top position.
The Assembly of Experts, Iran's influential clerical council, convened on Tuesday to debate succession, according to the daily, which cited three Iranian officials with knowledge of internal talks. Although a final announcement was still being considered, Mojtaba Khamenei was referred to as the "obvious front-runner."
According to reports, some clerics were worried that naming him too soon might make him a target in the midst of escalating tensions with Israel and the United States.
Mojtaba Khamenei is who?
The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei was born in Mashhad in 1969. Prior to Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979, he was raised during a time when his father actively opposed the Shah.
Mojtaba is not regarded as a high-ranking religious expert, in contrast to many prominent members of Iran's clerical establishment. He has no official government position and has never been elected to office. He is thought to have considerable influence behind the scenes, nevertheless, especially because of his strong connections to the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
After serving in the Iran-Iraq War, he took on the role of managing a portion of his father's office. Despite not having a legal title, the United States sanctioned him in 2019 for allegedly acting in an official capacity on behalf of the supreme commander.
Why his choice is important
His appointment would be unprecedented because Shia clerical groups have always disapproved of succession from father to son and Iran's leadership has long resisted the idea of hereditary monarchy.
Mojtaba's promotion would indicate that "a considerably more hard-line Revolutionary Guard side of the regime is now in power," according to Johns Hopkins University Iran scholar Ali Nasr, who spoke to The New York Times.
He may be viewed by supporters as carrying on his father's leadership during a difficult period. However, some can see the action as solidifying dynasty politics in a system that formally rejects monarchy.
According to the constitution, the 88-member Assembly of Experts, which is chosen by the general people, is in charge of selecting and managing the supreme leader. The Islamic Republic has only chosen a new leader twice in its history.
Post a Comment