How Did Iran’s Third Ayatollah Become a Millionaire—And That Too Through Assets in Western Cities Whose Culture He Professed to Hate?

Mojtaba Khamenei became Iran’s third Supreme Leader in March 8, 2026, succeeding his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes during the 2026 Iran conflict. The war between the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28, 2026, when Washington and Tel Aviv launched a coordinated large-scale military operation targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, military infrastructure and senior leadership.

The conflict has involved intense strikes inside Iran and retaliatory attacks by Tehran against US and Israeli interests across the Middle East  , including diplomatic sites in countries not directly involved in the war.

Mojtaba’s appointment as Supreme Leader triggered protests in some parts of Iran with slogans such as “Death to Mojtaba!” His elevation marks a historic moment for Iran: for the first time since the Iranian Revolution, power has passed from father to son. Critics argue that the move resembles a return to hereditary rule.

See Also: How Did Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Die? Conspiracy Theories Swirl Online

Here are key things to know about Mojtaba Khamenei.

1. Mojtaba Khamenei was born on September 8, 1969, in Mashhad, a major religious city in northeastern Iran. An Iranian Shia cleric, he became the country’s third Supreme Leader in 2026. He is the second son of Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly four decades as Supreme Leader. Mojtaba was nine years old when his father emerged as a leading figure during the Iranian Revolution.

2. He is believed to have strong connections with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, one of the most powerful institutions in Iran. As a teenager, Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly served in the Iran–Iraq War as part of the IRGC’s Habib Battalion, a unit that later produced several senior commanders, including Esmail Kowsari. Many Iranian analysts say he has also played a significant role in the appointment of senior IRGC officials.

3. After the Iran-Iraq war, he moved to Qom,  Iran’s main centre of Shia scholarship, where he studied Islamic theology at its renowned seminary. He trained under prominent scholars, including Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, later becoming a cleric who taught advanced jurisprudence (Kharij-e Fiqh) and theology.

4. Over the years, Mojtaba Khamenei has often been described as a “shadow prince” or a gatekeeper within the office of the Supreme Leader, wielding significant influence behind the scenes. Although he has rarely appeared in public or held formal government office, analysts say he exercised considerable power within his father’s political network.He is widely seen as sharing the hardline and ultraconservative views of his father, Ali Khamenei, having spent decades working in his shadow and gaining a deep understanding of the mechanisms of Iran’s political and security establishment.

5. Reformist politicians have accused Mojtaba Khamenei of influencing the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections. Reports claim he operated behind the scenes to support the hardline conservative candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, allegedly using networks linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij to help secure Ahmadinejad’s victory. The disputed 2009 election triggered widespread protests across Iran, known as the Green Movement. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets demanding, “Where is my vote?” while accusing the government of election fraud and calling for democratic reforms. Protesters adopted the green colour from the campaign of Mir-Hossein Mousavi, which soon became the symbol of the movement.

6. Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, allegedly owns two luxury flats worth about £35 million near the Israeli embassy in London, purchased through proxies and shell companies, according to a Bloomberg investigation. The properties were reportedly bought by associate Ali Ansari using funds linked to sanctioned Iranian oil sales. The report also claims Mojtaba owns other luxury assets, including a villa in Dubai and hotels in Germany. The revelations have sparked widespread debate, with many questioning how a leader known for conservative policies in Iran could own properties in a liberal country like the United Kingdom. Reacting to the report, Munish Kumar Raizada, a Political Activist, wrote on X: “FYI, those protesting and crying and mourning on roads for your supreme leader Ali Khamenei — his 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei, now your supreme leader, owns properties worth millions of dollars in London.”

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