Iranian state media says Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been appointed as Iran’s new supreme leader, a move that comes as the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States intensifies across the Middle East.
The announcement early Monday marks a major leadership shift in Tehran after an Israeli strike earlier in the conflict killed Ali Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei had long been considered a leading contender for the role despite never having held an elected or formal government position.
As supreme leader, he will now have ultimate authority over Iran’s military and political strategy, including command influence over the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which plays a central role in the ongoing war.
The Guard pledged allegiance to the new leader in a statement broadcast by Iranian state media, declaring its readiness to carry out his orders as the conflict with Israel and the United States continues.
The leadership transition comes amid rapidly escalating regional tensions. Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel early Monday, with emergency responders in Rishon LeZion reporting one woman injured by flying debris following the attack. Sirens also sounded across central Israel, including the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
Meanwhile, oil markets reacted sharply to the widening conflict. Global crude prices surged past $100 per barrel for the first time in more than three years as disruptions threatened exports from the Persian Gulf. Brent crude oil rose to $109.46 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude traded at $107.37.
The surge in oil prices rattled financial markets across Asia. Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunged more than six per cent, while South Korea’s Kospi dropped a similar amount as investors reacted to fears of prolonged instability in the energy-producing region.
The conflict has also spread beyond Iran and Israel. Missile and drone attacks were reported in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, while an oil facility fire broke out in Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the United Arab Emirates following an attack.
Israeli forces say they have struck more than 3,400 targets inside Iran since the start of the war, including the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ air force in Tehran. Israel also said it killed several senior commanders linked to the Guard’s overseas Quds Force during a strike in Beirut.
Military officials warn the conflict could continue for an extended period. Eyal Zamir, chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, told the Israeli public to prepare for a long war.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said he expects to have influence over Iran’s future leadership once the war ends. The U.S. president previously described Mojtaba Khamenei as “a lightweight” and warned that any new Iranian leader would struggle to remain in power without international backing.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the idea of foreign involvement in choosing the country’s leadership, saying the decision belongs solely to the Iranian people.
The conflict has already claimed significant casualties and caused widespread displacement across the region. According to monitoring group Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, more than 1,000 incidents have been recorded across 16 countries during the first week of fighting, with the initial day of the war accounting for more than 40 per cent of reported fatalities.
As the war spreads across multiple fronts, world leaders are urging restraint. Emmanuel Macron called on Iran to halt its strikes during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, while diplomats warn the growing conflict risks destabilizing global energy markets and security across the Middle East.
