The Briefing Iran’s new supreme leader + Former Liberal MP cleared of child sex charges
Mar 9, 2026
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Middle East political expert and former political prisoner in Iran, outlines who Mojtaba Khamenei is and how he rose to power. She breaks down likely US and Israeli reactions. Short, sharp takes explore risks of harsher repression at home, possible escalation into prolonged conflict, and calls to offer asylum to Iran’s women’s soccer team.
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Mojtaba Khamenei Is A Hardline Continuity Candidate
- Mojtaba Khamenei Is A Hardline Continuity Candidate who exercised backstage control and is closely tied to the IRGC.
- Kylie Moore-Gilbert says he was a shadowy, mid-ranking cleric who controlled access to his father and served briefly in the IRGC during the Iran–Iraq war.
Personal Losses May Harden Mojtaba Against The West
- Mojtaba's Family Suffered Recent Losses to US and Israeli Strikes which likely hardens his stance.
- Moore-Gilbert notes his wife, mother and father were recently killed by American and Israeli bombs, shaping his disposition.
Succession Undermines Iran's Anti Hereditary Norms
- His appointment breaks Iran's anti-hereditary norms and clashes with constitutional expectations for a senior cleric leader.
- Moore-Gilbert notes Mojtaba is a mid-ranking cleric and his succession is awkward given the Islamic Republic's stated rejection of hereditary rule.