Crowds gathered in parts of Tehran and other cities on Monday after Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei was announced as Iran’s new Supreme Leader. State broadcaster Press TV said people came out on the streets soon after the decision was made public, welcoming the choice of the country’s clerical council.
The development marks a major transition in Iran’s leadership. The country has been on edge since the death of the previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during the latest escalation in West Asia. With Mojtaba Khamenei now taking the position, Iran enters a new political phase while the region remains tense.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader, finalised the decision on Sunday. A message from Mojtaba Khamenei’s official account on X confirmed that the council had appointed him “the Third Leader of the Sacred Islamic Republic of Iran under Article 108 of the Constitution.”
Soon after the announcement, groups of supporters were seen celebrating the decision in different parts of the country, Press TV reported.
Political and military backing signals continuity
Iran’s political leadership quickly voiced support for the new leader. Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, called for unity and said he hoped the country would move forward under Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership.
The Speaker of Iran’s Parliament described the appointment as a “soothing balm” for the nation.
The security establishment also signalled its backing. Both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces pledged support to the newly appointed leader, according to Press TV.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei and said the moment represented “a new era of honour and authority for the Iranian nation.” In remarks carried by Press TV, he said the transition reflected unity among Iranians at a crucial time.
Leadership change unfolds amid growing regional tensions
The change at the top comes during an already volatile period in the region.
Tensions shot up after a joint US-Israel strike inside Iran on February 28 killed the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of senior figures.
Iran later launched waves of missile and drone strikes across different locations in the region. Press TV reported that two missile waves were fired toward Israel shortly after Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment was announced.
According to The Jerusalem Post, fragments from one missile struck central Israel, leaving one person injured.
Inside Iran, the consequences of the conflict are becoming more visible. Al Jazeera reported that more than 1,300 people have died since the violence began.
Large numbers of civilians have also been forced to move. Around 100,000 people have left their homes, seeking safer areas as attacks continued. Aid agencies say requests for emergency assistance are rising as displacement increases.
Despite the pressures, President Pezeshkian said Iran had endured difficult moments before and remained capable of overcoming the current situation through national unity and determination.