**Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Iran's new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts in March 2026 after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in late February U.S.-Israeli strikes that opened the 2026 Iran conflict.** A provisional leadership council including President Masoud Pezeshkian temporarily assumed duties during the transition. Mojtaba, a mid-level cleric with Revolutionary Guard ties, emerged as the consensus choice amid wartime pressures, signaling continuity in hardline positions on security and foreign policy. Ongoing trader focus centers on his limited public visibility and reports of injuries sustained in the initial strikes, balanced against repeated Iranian official statements—including from Pezeshkian—that he remains healthy and actively directing policy through private meetings. Recent military leadership reshuffles and security appointments underscore efforts to consolidate control during active hostilities. Any verified health developments, escalation in the conflict, or shifts in the Assembly of Experts' stance could influence assessments of further leadership stability.