Reports said the second son of Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who died in a U.S.-Israeli military operation, has been elected supreme leader to succeed him.
According to the Iranian opposition outlet Iran International on the 3rd (local time), Mojtaba Khamenei was elected supreme leader by the Assembly of Experts.
Mojtaba Khamenei, like his father, is known to align with Iran's hard-line conservative camp. Earlier, he had not officially held a government post, but accounts said he wielded power at close range as the so-called "door knob power."
In 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on Mojtaba, effectively saying he represents the supreme leader.
The decision to select a hard-liner as successor is seen as stemming from pressure by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In fact, Mojtaba is known to have close ties with the IRGC and its subordinate militia, the Basij.
Meanwhile, there has been no official announcement from Iranian authorities so far. The New York Times (NYT) said the Assembly of Experts is considering formally announcing Mojtaba as the successor on the morning of the 4th.