Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei is an Iranian politician and Shia cleric who has served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran for Political and Security Affairs since 1997. A member of the Khamenei family and the second eldest child of Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader, he served in the Iran–Iraq War from 1987 to 1988, and also reportedly took control of the Basij that was used to suppress the protests over the 2009 presidential election.
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Jul 6, 2026
Center
Iran's new supreme leader, described as holding a positive view of China by Tehran's ambassador during a Beijing security forum.
Pragmatists welcome continuity in Iran-China relations but note the geopolitical risks from Iran's regional conflicts and Strait of Hormuz tensions.
Jul 6, 2026
Far Left
New supreme leader who remained absent from his father's funeral, as reported in the Guardian.
Seen as a symbol of theocratic oppression; radical left critical of both US and Iranian regime.
Jun 12, 2026
Center
Trump claimed publicly that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had personally approved the deal with the US, a claim Iran has not confirmed and which puts the Supreme Leader's authority at the center of the agreement's legitimacy.
For pragmatists, whether Khamenei has genuinely signed off is the single most consequential variable: a deal without his explicit endorsement will be blocked by the Guardian Council and security apparatus, while his approval would neutralize hardline veto power.