Tehran, Iran – Mojtaba Khamenei, widely considered a leading candidate to become Iran’s next Supreme Leader, has reportedly been wounded in an Israeli air strike carried out during recent military operations targeting Iran’s leadership.
Okay News reports that the 56-year-old cleric, son of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, survived an assassination attempt linked to Israel’s “Operation Lion’s Roar,” launched on February 28 alongside the United States’ “Operation Epic Fury.”
The coordinated attacks reportedly killed Ali Khamenei and about 40 other senior figures within Iran’s ruling establishment. Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, was also reported killed during the strikes.
Details about Mojtaba Khamenei’s injuries remain unclear, and it is not known whether he was inside his father’s compound when it was struck or targeted in a separate attack. Reports indicate he may now be in hiding as Israeli and US strikes against Iranian targets continue.
Khamenei is believed to have strong backing from Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), positioning him as a key contender to succeed his father. However, some members of the Assembly of Experts — the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting Iran’s Supreme Leader — have reportedly raised concerns about the possibility of power passing directly to the late leader’s son.
The Assembly of Experts is expected to convene soon, possibly within 24 hours, to begin the process of selecting Iran’s next Supreme Leader. Reports suggest the meeting may take place virtually after the body’s building in Tehran was destroyed in recent Israeli strikes.
US President Donald Trump has criticised the potential succession, describing Mojtaba Khamenei as “a lightweight” and saying his leadership would not end the conflict between Iran and its adversaries.
