Under heavy pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC or SEPAH), the Assembly of Experts of Iran has chosen Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country's next Supreme Leader.
According to Milli.Az, the decision, long awaited but also highly controversial within Iran's religious and political hierarchy, has finally been made.
Sources indicate that the decision was by no means easy. Although there were members of the Assembly of Experts who opposed the principle of "heredity," the leadership of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directly intervened in the process.
The IRGC command, citing the country’s situation of war and chaos, dictated Mojtaba Khamenei's candidacy to ensure that governance remains in "reliable hands."
Allegedly, after Mojtaba Khamenei provided assurances that he would protect the military and economic interests of the IRGC, the vote was concluded.
56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei has been known for years as a "behind-the-scenes leader." Holding significant influence in his father's office, Mojtaba was especially noted for his control over intelligence and military organizations.
He is considered one of the key figures involved in suppressing the protests that began after the 2009 elections.
Although supported by the conservative wing, a part of the public and some reformist clerics regard his leadership as "the end of republican values."