Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as the country’s new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, following a reported airstrike that killed his father on Saturday. The decision, made during an online vote after the attack on a facility in Qom, reportedly came after pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The succession, from father to son, was initially considered unlikely given the revolutionary origins of the Iranian political system, established after the overthrow of the Shah. Ayatollah Khamenei himself had previously expressed reservations about a dynastic succession. However, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is known for his significant behind-the-scenes influence and strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its paramilitary Basij force.
According to web search results, Mojtaba Khamenei served in the Iran–Iraq War from 1987 to 1988, with the 27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division, and was reportedly in control of the Basij during the suppression of protests following the 2009 election.
Reports indicate Mojtaba Khamenei as well oversaw the construction of a substantial global property empire. Bloomberg reported in March 2026 that he amassed a real estate portfolio worth over £100 million in the United Kingdom alone. Funds for these acquisitions originated primarily from Iranian oil sales and were channeled through shell companies registered in jurisdictions including Saint Kitts and Nevis and the Isle of Man, and through accounts in banks in the UK, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the United Arab Emirates.
Properties identified by Bloomberg include a villa on London’s Bishops Avenue – known as “Billionaire’s Row” – purchased in 2014 for £33.7 million, as well as luxury hotels in Frankfurt and Mallorca, a villa in Dubai, and previously held assets in Toronto and Paris. None of these assets are directly registered in Mojtaba Khamenei’s name, but are held through intermediaries.
Ali Ansari, an Iranian banker sanctioned by the British government in October 2025 for allegedly financing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been identified as a key figure in managing these assets. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mojtaba Khamenei in 2019, but these sanctions did not prevent the continued expansion of the property portfolio, exploiting loopholes in ownership transparency regulations.
Asian stock markets are experiencing significant declines following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding its impact on global energy markets. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) in South Korea fell by 9%, although Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 3%. Shanghai’s Composite Index declined by 1%, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell by 4%. India’s Sensex lost approximately 2%.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported detecting missile launches from Iran toward Israeli territory. Israeli defense systems are active to intercept the incoming threats, and the IDF’s Home Front Command issued a directive to residents in affected areas, urging them to seek shelter until further notice.
