Trump's Worst-Case Fears Realized...Moztaba Vows "Resolute Resistance" [U.S.-Iran War]

Moztaba Khamenei, the second son elected as the Supreme Leader of Iran. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

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Moztaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old second son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US and Israeli airstrike, has been officially chosen as his successor. Foreign media interpreted this move-carried out despite repeated opposition from US President Donald Trump-as a reflection of Iran's determination to resist the United States at all costs.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in the United States and the Financial Times (FT) in the United Kingdom reported on March 8 (local time) that Moztaba, who was selected as Iran's next Supreme Leader, is expected to continue taking a hardline stance against the West.

Although Moztaba, the second son of the late Khamenei, has rarely appeared in public, he has wielded strong behind-the-scenes influence. Having joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 1987 and served during the Iran-Iraq War, he has built close ties with the IRGC and is considered a hardliner against the United States.

Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House in the UK, analyzed that the rise of "Khamenei II" signals a continuation of the regime's existing strategy-oppression at home and resistance abroad. She added that, "The current regime has shown no intention to compromise and is determined to resist, regardless of the cost."

Al Jazeera, the Arab broadcaster, also pointed out that Moztaba's consolidation of power is a sign that hardliners still maintain control within the Iranian regime. The network noted, "This suggests that the government has little intention of engaging in negotiations or agreements in the short term."

Some Iran experts had speculated that the announcement of the next leader could be delayed until the end of the war, given the high likelihood that the new leader would become a target for the US and Israel. However, this prediction did not materialize. Israel has previously declared that it would continue to track all successors following Khamenei's death.

The FT also reported experts' analyses that the current situation in the Middle East has in effect facilitated Moztaba's hereditary succession. Although Moztaba had long been mentioned as a potential successor within Iran's elite circles, he faced inherent limitations due to being Khamenei's son, especially since Khamenei himself grew up opposing the Pahlavi hereditary monarchy.

Sayyed Golkar, an Iran expert at the University of Tennessee in the United States, criticized, "Despite both internal and external pressures, the regime is incapable of reform. All they have found is another Khamenei."

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