Mojtaba Khamenei Takes Over as Iran's New Supreme Leader

0:00On March 3rd, Iran's top religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint United States in Israeli strikes on Saturday. Now, his 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reportedly taken over as the new supreme leader. This came after Iran's assembly of experts met in the holy city of Kham on Tuesday to pick a successor. Mojtaba has deep ties to the Revolutionary Guard Corps and served in the military during the Iran Iraq War years ago. He spaced United States sanctions but holds no official government role and isn't a top cleric. Still, he's long been seen as a power player behind the scenes, especially with pressure from the guards pushing his appointment. The move has stirred controversy since handing power from father to son, goes against traditions in Iran's Shiite clerical circles. Many top officials died in the strikes, including key advisors and military commanders, leaving big gaps in leadership. Meanwhile, family members of the former leader didn't survive the attacks.

1:02President Donald Trump boasted that the bombings wiped out America's preferred choices for Iran's next leader, even the backups. He warned of tougher strikes ahead after drones hit the United States embassy in Saudi Arabia. Iran's former minister called the killing a serious religious offense with major fallout expected. Strikes continue into the fourth day, with fresh hits on central Tehran, causing injuries and rubble. As the conflict drags on, I stay glued on how this new leadership holds up under the pressure.