Khamenei’s Son Wields Influence Across Iran’s Security Apparatus

Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a significant figure within Iran's clerical establishment and is considered a potential successor to his father. A hardline mid-ranking cleric with the rank of Hojjatoleslam, Mojtaba wields substantial influence behind the scenes without holding a formal government position, acting as a gatekeeper to the Supreme Leader. He has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated militias, which has enhanced his leverage within Iran's political and security apparatus. Despite his influence, his role is controversial due to concerns about dynastic succession in the Islamic Republic, a system founded in opposition to monarchy, and Khamenei himself has expressed opposition to such succession. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Mojtaba in 2019, accusing him of advancing his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic policies. Mojtaba has also been a target of public protests since 2009, particularly during unrest following the death of a young woman in police custody in 2022 over alleged dress code violations.