ABC News Daily Is Iran’s new supreme leader looking for revenge?
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Mar 9, 2026 Barbara Slavin, distinguished fellow at the Stimson Centre and Iran expert. She explains who Mojtaba Khamenei is and his ties to the IRGC. Conversations cover whether he will be more hardline, Iran’s capacity for prolonged conflict, Gulf states’ limits, drone threats and impacts, and risks from intensified U.S. and Israeli strikes.
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Trump Claimed He Could Choose Iran's Leader
- Donald Trump publicly claimed to pick Iran's next leader and criticized Israeli strikes as too effective.
- Slavin recounts Trump's comments about wanting a chosen successor and being displeased several potential figures were killed.
Successor Already Running The Regime
- Mojtaba Khamenei was already deeply embedded in Iran's power structures, with close ties to the IRGC and involvement in past electoral manipulation.
- Barbara Slavin notes he managed finances, the basij and likely helped run state affairs before his father's death, enabling a seamless takeover.
Personal Losses Point Toward Hardline Response
- Personal losses from the strikes make Mojtaba unlikely to seek reconciliation or moderation.
- Slavin emphasizes his family—including his father, mother, wife and child—were killed in the US-Israeli strikes, hardening his stance.