Appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Leader of the Islamic Republic on Esfand 18, 1404
On Monday morning, March 9, 2026, corresponding to 18 Esfand 1404 in the Iranian calendar, the Assembly of Experts announced that Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei had been selected as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
The decision came only eight days after the death of Ali Khamenei in the joint US–Israeli airstrike.
According to reports, 59 members of the Assembly voted in favor of Mojtaba Khamenei out of a total of 88 members, officially appointing him as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.
The decision was made under extraordinary circumstances, as the country was in the middle of a military conflict and the government was determined to avoid any leadership vacuum.
Immediately after the announcement of Ali Khamenei’s death, a temporary leadership structure was established in accordance with Article 111 of the Iranian constitution.
This interim council consisted of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and one of the jurist members of the Guardian Council.
The council was tasked with managing the transition period until a new leader could be selected by the Assembly of Experts.
In the days that followed, the Assembly of Experts held several intensive meetings to discuss the leadership succession.
The political situation was extremely sensitive because of the ongoing war and the instability created by the attack.
Reports indicated that even the secretariat office of the Assembly in Tehran had been damaged during the strikes, though the meetings continued despite these challenges.
On March 9, the Assembly released its official statement announcing the decision.
The statement declared that, after careful deliberation and in accordance with the constitutional authority of the Assembly, Mojtaba Khamenei had been chosen as the new leader.