The elevation of a secretive cleric with close ties to the Revolutionary Guard, and views believed to be more hard-line than his father’s, places a largely unknown figure in command of Iran’s armed forces and any future decisions about Tehran’s nuclear program at a critical and unresolved moment in the conflict.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei — the 56-year-old son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader on Monday, as Iranian forces widened missile and drone strikes against oil and water infrastructure across Gulf Arab states. The announcement came as the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its second week, with the war’s toll surpassing 1,600 dead and global oil prices climbing above $100 a barrel.
The elder Khamenei was killed Feb. 28 in what officials described as the war’s opening salvo. His son, a secretive cleric who had not been seen or heard from publicly since hostilities began, had long been considered a contender for succession even before his father’s death, the Associated Press reported.
Succession raises nuclear questions
Mojtaba Khamenei, who had never been elected or appointed to any government position, maintains close ties to the Revolutionary Guard, which has continued firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the war began. He is believed to hold views more hard-line than his late father’s.
His appointment places him in charge of Iran’s armed forces and any decisions about Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran’s key nuclear sites were heavily damaged during a previous 12-day military confrontation, the AP reported, though highly enriched uranium remains in the country at a level described as a technical step away from weapons-grade.
Israel has described the younger Khamenei as a potential target. President Donald Trump said he found the appointment unacceptable.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” Trump said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
Trump told ABC News on Sunday that he wants a say in who leads Iran once the war ends, and that a new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval, according to the AP. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There appeared to be some dissension over the selection inside Iran. Political figures criticized the hereditary nature of the succession, drawing comparisons to the dynastic rule of the shah toppled in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Top clerics in the Assembly of Experts nonetheless moved forward, convening amid ongoing airstrikes on Tehran.
Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani praised the assembly for “courageously” convening and said the younger Khamenei “can handle this situation.” Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a formal statement of support, as did Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.
Saudi Arabia sharpens warnings; oil climbs past $100
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said Monday it intercepted a drone targeting the kingdom’s massive Shaybah oil field. The kingdom followed the alleged attack with its sharpest warnings to Tehran yet, saying Iran would be the “biggest loser” if it continued to strike Arab states.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s claim, made Saturday, that Iran had halted its attacks on Gulf Arab states.
“The kingdom affirms that the Iranian side has not implemented this statement in practice, neither during the Iranian president’s speech nor afterward,” the ministry said in a statement. “Iran has continued its aggression based on flimsy pretexts devoid of any factual basis.”
The war has pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel and contributed to tighter natural gas supplies after Qatar halted production, the AP reported.
Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately targeting civilian infrastructure and said one of its desalination plants had been damaged, though the country’s electricity and water authority said supplies remained online. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a separate U.S. airstrike had damaged a desalination facility on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, cutting water to 30 villages, and accused Washington of setting a precedent. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson, rejected the claim. “U.S. forces do not target civilians — period,” Hawkins said.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools, and almost three dozen health facilities. It warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain from burning oil depots.
The Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for what he called its “reckless policy” of attacking neighboring countries, including those that host U.S. forces.
U.S. evacuates diplomats; casualties mount
Two U.S. officials told the AP, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement, that the State Department would order nonessential personnel and families of all staff to leave Saudi Arabia. Eight other U.S. diplomatic missions had already ordered all but key staff to evacuate: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.
The U.S. military said one service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven American soldiers have now been killed in the conflict.
The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon, and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials. Israel reported its first soldier deaths Sunday, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its forces are fighting Hezbollah.
Lebanon said more than 517,000 people have been displaced in the week of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah — a count that reflects only those who registered on the government’s online portal. Families sheltered in schools, slept in cars, or gathered in open areas near the Mediterranean coast.