Iran’s New Ruler Is Already a Marked Man

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his slain father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Iran’s supreme leader, is an unacceptable choice and has threatened consequences if he does not adhere to U.S. Demands. This appointment occurs within a complex Iranian ruling structure comprised of multiple positions and institutions that have governed the Islamic Republic for over four decades.

The Supreme Leader

The position of supreme leader was established by the Iranian Constitution following the 1979 Iranian Revolution. It is rooted in the concept of the Guardianship of the Jurist, or “Welayat-e Faqih,” a principle within Twelver Shiism – the dominant branch of Shiite Islam in Iran. This concept asserts that state affairs should be administered by righteous jurists until the return of the 12th imam, a figure believed to have gone into hiding in 874 C.E.

Initially, the constitution required the supreme leader to be a grand ayatollah, the highest-ranking cleric in the Shiite religious hierarchy. However, in 1989, the constitution was amended to allow Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was a mid-ranking cleric at the time, to assume the position following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the first supreme leader.

While the position is for life, Article 111 of the constitution allows the Assembly of Experts to remove the supreme leader if deemed politically or religiously incapable.

The supreme leader holds ultimate religious and political authority within the Islamic Republic, commanding the armed forces, supervising state media, and appointing the chief justice, who leads the judiciary. According to articles 57 and 110 of the constitution, the supreme leader sets domestic and foreign policy and oversees all branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial. Through the Guardian Council, the supreme leader can vet electoral candidates and veto parliamentary laws.

The Presidency

Established by the 1979 constitution, the presidency is the head of government, second in command to the supreme leader. The president executes the decrees of the supreme leader. Presidential elections are held every four years for Iranians at least 18 years old, with candidates vetted by the Guardian Council.

President Masoud Pezeshkian currently holds the office. Every president has served no more than two consecutive terms, with the exception of Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash before completing his first term in 2024.

The president chairs the Cabinet and appoints ministers, subject to parliamentary approval. However, the supreme leader retains the authority to dismiss and reinstate ministers and the vice president.

Assembly of Experts

Created in 1979, the Assembly of Experts of Leadership (Majles-e Khobregan-e Rahbari) is authorized to appoint, supervise, and potentially remove the supreme leader. The assembly, comprised of around 80 ayatollahs or mujtahids – experts in Islamic law – convenes at least twice every six months, though its proceedings are confidential.

Members serve eight-year terms and are directly elected by Iranian citizens. However, the Guardian Council, controlled by the supreme leader, vets all candidates, resulting in a process that is not considered free and fair. The supreme leader effectively approves potential members of the body that oversees him.

In recent elections, particularly in 2016 and 2024, the Guardian Council disqualified hundreds of candidates, primarily moderates and reformists who opposed the supreme leader. This has led to a dominance of conservatives and hard-liners within the assembly.

Guardian Council

The Guardian Council (Shoura-ye Negahban) has the power to veto laws passed by parliament and vet candidates for elections, including presidential, parliamentary, and Assembly of Experts elections. It consists of 12 jurists and lawyers specializing in Islamic law, serving six-year phased terms.

The supreme leader appoints half of the council’s members and can dismiss them at will. The chief justice, appointed with parliamentary approval, appoints the other half. Since the supreme leader too appoints the chief justice, he effectively controls the council, though the council has occasionally demonstrated some autonomy.

Since the late 1990s, the council has increasingly disqualified reformist candidates, bolstering the influence of conservatives and hard-liners in parliament and the Assembly of Experts.

Expediency Discernment Council

Established in 1988, the Expediency Discernment Council of the System (Majma’-e Tashkhis-e Maslahat-e Nezam) advises the supreme leader on domestic and foreign policy. Its chairman and members are appointed by the supreme leader for five-year terms.

Initially, the council mediated disputes between the Guardian Council and parliament. Over time, it evolved into a body that supports the supreme leader, reducing the power of reformist-majority parliaments and influencing appointments to the Guardian Council.

Iran’s Parliament

The Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran serves as the country’s parliament, with representatives elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The parliament can propose legislation, but its ability to pass laws is constrained by the Guardian Council’s power to veto laws conflicting with the constitution or religion.

The parliament approves the president’s Cabinet appointees and can impeach the president. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a conservative former commander of the Revolutionary Guard, has served as the parliament’s speaker since 2020.

The 2024 parliamentary election saw a historically low voter turnout of 41%, and the Guardian Council’s disqualification of many moderate and reformist candidates resulted in a conservative and hard-liner majority.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment as supreme leader occurs within this intricate network of individuals and institutions. While he holds the highest position, the Islamic Republic’s ruling structure is not solely dependent on him.