China on Monday said Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khameneias its new supreme leader following the killing of his father was an internal matter, stressing that any attempt to target him should be opposed.
The appointment comes after the death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed more than a week ago during the first wave of strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on Iran.
Speaking on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei was made in line with the country’s constitutional process.
“China opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext, and Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected,” he said when asked about threats against the new leader.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei
Unlike his father, the 56-year-old has largely kept a low profile. He has never held government office, nor given public speeches or interviews, and only a limited number of photos and videos of him have ever been published.
But for years there have been rumours that he held considerable influence behind the scenes in Iran.
US diplomatic cables, which were published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s, described him as “the power behind the robes” who was widely regarded as a “capable and forceful” figure within the regime, according to news agency AP.
Yet his selection could still prove controversial. The Islamic Republic was founded in 1979 after the monarchy was overthrown and its ideology is based on the principle that the supreme leader should be chosen for his religious standing and proven leadership, not through hereditary succession.
Also Read: Iran picks a new Supreme Leader
During his reign, Ali Khamenei spoke only in general terms about the future leadership of the Islamic Republic.
One member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts – the clerical body that selects the supreme leader – said two years ago that Ali Khamenei opposed the idea of his son being a candidate for future leadership. But he had never publicly addressed such speculation.
Born on 8 September 1969 in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, Mojtaba is the second of Ali Khamenei’s six children. He received his secondary education at the religious Alavi School in Tehran.
At 17, Mojtaba served in the military for several short periods during the Iran-Iraq War, according to Iranian media. The eight-year bloody conflict made the regime even more suspicious of the US and the West, which supported Iraq.
In 1999, Mojtaba went to Qom, a holy city which is considered an important centre of Shia theology, to continue his religious studies. It is notable that he did not wear clerical clothing until this time, and it is unclear why he decided to attend a seminary at 30, as it is more usual to do so in one’s younger years.
Mojtaba remains a mid-ranking cleric, which could pose an obstacle to his acceptance as the new supreme leader.
Additional reporting by BBC
