Iran’s late leader ‘was wary of son Mojtaba Khamenei taking over’ | World | News

Sources claimed that the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was wary of his son Mojtaba succeeding him as Iran’s religious leader. Sources close to the matter claimed that, according to US intelligence analysis, Ali Khamenei, who ruled the regime from 1989 until his death on February 28, had concerns about Mojtaba succeeding him because he was not very bright and was seen as unqualified to be a leader.

US intelligence report sent to US President Donald Trump Along with a small circle around him, sources also claimed: CBS news. Mojtaba was declared Iran’s new Supreme Leader last weekend, eight days after his father died on his compound in one of the attacks launched by the United States and Israel on the first day of their joint operation.

Mojtaba has not been seen in public since the conflict in the Middle East began. On Thursday, he spoke to his country for the first time, albeit in a written statement, fueling rumors that he may have been seriously injured or even killed in the attacks.

On Friday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed that Ali Khamenei’s son was “injured and possibly disfigured” after an airstrike.

That same day, Trump claimed in an interview on Fox News that the Iranian regime had been decapitated, alluding to the alleged US intelligence report, saying: “Their leadership is gone. Their second leader is gone. Now their third leader is in trouble, and that’s not someone even your father wanted.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed on Sunday: “The Leader of the Revolution is completely healthy and fully managing the situation.”

Mojtaba is Iran’s third religious leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.