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The Assembly of Experts of the Islamic Republic of Iran appointed Mojtaba Jameneí as the new supreme leader of the country.
The news was announced by Iranian state media early Monday morning and represents a clear challenge to Washington, following Trump’s statement that he would participate in the election of the new leader.
Jamenei succeeds his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in the U.S. and Israeli attacks on February 28
According to CNN, Mojtaba, 56 years old, the second son of Jamenei, is known for his significant behind-the-scenes influence, as well as his strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
He was sanctioned by the United States in 2019 and was neither a high-ranking cleric nor held any official position in the regime, but his name had been mentioned from the beginning among experts.
Last week, it emerged that Mojtaba had been hit by an Israeli attack, but it is believed that he only sustained injuries.
The appointment of Jamenei aligns with the statements made this Sunday by the president of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who asserted that Tehran is not seeking a ceasefire and that the aggressors must be punished.
“If the enemy attacks us from any country, Tehran will respond decisively,” he said.
This week, Trump indicated that his goal would be to prevent the future Iranian leadership from leading the country back into war and stated that choosing Mojtaba was "unacceptable."
"Yes, I don't want to have to come back in ten years. We want a president who will not lead his country into war," said the leader when asked about the future Iranian leadership.
Quoted by El País, Iranian researcher Ali Alfoneh from the Gulf Arab Studies Institute (AGSI). He believes that this election represents a “clear challenge to the United States and Israel,” with which the Islamic regime seems to be telling Trump: “If you kill one Jamenei, we will choose another.”
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