The Burn Bag Podcast Iran After Khamenei: Vali Nasr on the New Supreme Leader and Tehran's War Strategy
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei — Iran's new Supreme Leader? Who was the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
In this episode of the Burn Bag Podcast, A’ndre Gonawela is joined by Vali Nasr, the Majid Khadduri Professor of Middle East Studies and International Affairs at Johns Hopkins SAIS and one of the leading scholars of Iranian politics and Shia leadership structures.
Nasr breaks down the power structure of the Islamic Republic following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the rise of his son Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader. The leadership transition comes as the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to escalate, with Tehran threatening to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and expand attacks across the region.
In this conversation, Nasr explains:
- Who Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was and how he shaped modern Iran
- How the Supreme Leader actually governs inside the Islamic Republic
- The role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran’s power structure
- What Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership means for the regime and the war
- Who is making wartime decisions inside Iran right now
- Whether the conflict represents an existential fight for the Islamic Republic
As the war intensifies and global energy markets react to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, this episode provides a clear guide to how Iran’s leadership thinks — and what it means for the future of the conflict.