Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, succeeding his father, Ali Khamenei, following a vote by the country’s powerful Assembly of Experts.
The announcement was made shortly after midnight in Tehran on Monday, with the clerical body stating that Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei had been chosen as the third leader of the Islamic Republic.
The Assembly of Experts, an 88-member council of senior clerics responsible for appointing the country’s supreme leader, said the decision was reached by a decisive vote.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a cleric believed to wield great influence within Iran’s security establishment and economic networks, had long been considered a leading contender to succeed his father.
The position of supreme leader holds ultimate authority in Iran, with power over the military, judiciary and key state institutions.
His appointment comes amid a rapidly escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States (US) and Israel.
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Ali Khamenei was killed in one of the first strikes launched against Iran more than a week ago, triggering a wave of retaliatory attacks across the region.
Iranian state media reported that the country’s armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had pledged allegiance to the new leader.
The conflict has also rattled global energy markets as oil prices surged sharply on Monday, with Brent crude rising above $108 a barrel.
Fears grew over possible disruptions to supply through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.
Financial markets reacted nervously, with Asian share futures falling and the US dollar strengthening against major currencies.
Meanwhile, the United States has begun reducing diplomatic staff across parts of the Middle East after Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting American facilities in the region.
The widening conflict has raised fears of further instability across the Gulf, a region central to the world’s energy supply.