Iran’s new leader faces existential battle

Published: 10 March 2026 The English Chronicle Desk The English Chronicle Online — World News

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has taken power at the most perilous moment in the Islamic Republic’s history. At 56, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — assassinated in the opening salvos of US‑Israeli strikes — inherits a nation at war, deeply divided at home, and facing what analysts describe as an existential battle.

Unlike his father, Mojtaba has never held formal government office, rarely appeared in public, and has no record of speeches. His ascent was confirmed by the Assembly of Experts, but many Iranians remain sceptical. Protesters who once denounced his father as a dictator have already taken to the streets shouting “Death to Mojtaba.”

Mojtaba’s strongest backing comes from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which dominates Iran’s security apparatus and economy. He joined the IRGC as a teenager and has long been seen as their candidate. His rise signals a hardline consolidation, with commanders now “calling the shots” in both military and political arenas.

The new leader’s family was killed in the Israeli strike that claimed his father’s life, including his mother, wife, and son. This personal tragedy has made the conflict intensely personal, with state TV broadcasting missiles fired in his name bearing the inscription: “At your service, Seyyed Mojtaba.”

US President Donald Trump has already declared Mojtaba “unacceptable” and warned he “won’t last long.” Israel’s Defence Minister has called him “an unequivocal target.” These threats underscore the precariousness of his position, as Iran’s enemies openly vow to remove him.

Domestically, Mojtaba’s rise has pushed reformists further to the margins. Figures like Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the republic’s founder, have been sidelined. Current President Masoud Pezeshkian, a moderate, now faces diminished influence as hardliners consolidate control.

Some allies portray Mojtaba as potentially “progressive,” likening him to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in terms of social reform. But with war raging and the IRGC entrenched, there is little sign of liberalisation. Instead, Iran appears locked into a harsher, more repressive trajectory.

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