March 9, 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been selected as Iran’s new leader, after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed due to US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on 28 February. This decision could lead to an escalation in the current conflict between Iran and the United States, as US President Donald Trump has stated earlier that the next leader of Iran should receive his approval, which Iranian officials have refused. Additionally, the Israeli military has stated that it would continue pursuing any successor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.