What to know about Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s family, wife Zahra and their children

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second-oldest son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Khamenei, is widely seen as having close ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, a son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly been appointed Iran’s new supreme leader, Daily Mail reported, citing Iranian TV network.  It comes after Khamenei was killed in a joint US, Israel strike on Iran targeting his Tehran compound, including other nuclear and military facility. 

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second-oldest son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Khamenei, is widely seen as having close ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

He was reportedly appointed by Iran’s Assembly of Experts 'under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards', as per Iran International.

Although many people thought Mojtaba might be a leading candidate to succeed Khamenei, experts did not all agree. Reportedly, Khamenei himself did not include Mojtaba on a list of possible successors he prepared last year. In Iran’s Shiite clerical system, passing leadership from father to son is generally viewed negatively.

As Mojtaba appears ready to take leadership during a tense period for Iran, lets know about his personal, professional and political life. 

Mojtaba Khamenei’s family

Mojtaba is married to Zahra Haddad-Adel, the daughter of Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, a conservative Iranian politician and former Speaker of Parliament. They reportedly married in 2004. Zahra was said to have been killed in 2026 during US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The couple reportedly have three children, but little information is publicly available about them.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s networth

Mojtaba was placed under US sanctions in 2019. Despite this, a Bloomberg report said he had built an international property network and reportedly moved billions of dollars into Western markets.

His exact net worth is unknown, but reports suggest he'd be a multi-millionaire. He is believed to oversees a large investment network, which allegedly includes Swiss bank accounts and a luxury property in the United Kingdom valued at more than $138 million.

A senior investigations lead at Transparency International UK, Ben Cowdock had criticized Mojtaba's investments in the UK, stating “It’s increasingly clear that those close to Iran’s political leaders have invested heavily in the UK. Our property market should not serve as a safe deposit box for cronies who finance repressive regimes.”

Mojtaba holds significant influence 

Mojtaba is not a high-ranking cleric. He has never held a government position and has no official role in Iran’s leadership. However, he is believed to have significant influence behind the scenes. 

Although there may have been opposition to his selection based on Shiite traditions, many of Iran’s senior officials have been killed in recent attacks on the country. Mojtaba was among the Khamenei family members who survived, while the late supreme leader’s wife, daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law were reportedly killed.