Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed Iran’s Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, pledging Tehran “steadfast support” and expressing solidarity with “Iranian friends.”
“Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic. Now, as Iran confronts armed aggression, your work in this high office will undoubtedly demand great courage and selflessness. I am confident you will carry on your father’s work with honor and rally the Iranian people in the face of harsh trials,” Putin said in a message published by the Kremlin.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “unhappy” with the Assembly of Experts’ decision. According to Trump, Washington wants to see someone who will bring “peace” at the helm of the Islamic Republic. Israeli authorities have threatened to kill the new Supreme Leader if he continues the policies of the previous ayatollah.
News of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death emerged on the first day of joint Israeli and U.S. strikes: Trump first disclosed it, and the next day, on March 1, it was confirmed by Iranian state media.
Khamenei’s nearly 37-year tenure made him the Middle East’s longest-serving head of state at the time of his death and Iran’s longest-ruling leader since Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Critics view him as a repressive despot responsible for political repression and mass killings.
In late 2025, demonstrations erupted across Iranian cities amid mass anti-government protests and a deepening economic crisis, becoming the largest uprising since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. On Khamenei’s orders, police and troops opened fire on protesters, leading to mass killings that left tens of thousands of demonstrators dead.
