Iran picks Khamenei's son Mojtaba as supreme leader; Trump demands veto power. Israel hits Tehran fuel, Bahrain desalination damaged in war expansion.
Iran Selects Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader Successor - Trump Rejects, Israel Pounds Tehran Fuel (Image: X)
A clerical council insider revealed Sunday that Iran has cast its vote for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's successor with his son Mojtaba poised to inherit the supreme leadership mantle, even as Israeli jets hammered Tehran's fuel depots and the conflict exploded into new fronts with Bahrain reporting damage to a critical desalination plant from Iranian attack. "The name of Khamenei will continue," declared Ayatollah Hosseinali Eshkevari, signaling the family's grip amid chaos. President Trump immediately demanded Washington veto power: "If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long."
Mojtaba Khamenei (born September 8, 1969), long the secretive "power behind the robes," survived US-Israeli airstrikes that killed his father, mother, wife Zahra Haddad-Adel, and son on February 28. The Assembly of Experts elected him March 3 under IRGC pressure despite holding only Hojjatoleslam rank—below traditional Ayatollah status. Sanctioned by US Treasury in 2019, he built vast business networks and orchestrated crackdowns on 2009 Green Movement protests.
Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda told state media that council secretary Hosseini Bushehri will formally name Khamenei's replacement after the vote already taken. Two Iranian sources identify Mojtaba Khamenei—long cultivating security forces and business empires—as the clear frontrunner. His ascension would lock hardliners' dominance while Israeli strikes killed supreme leader military chief Abolqasem Babaian Saturday.
Overnight Israeli airstrikes slammed Tehran's fuel depots, sending flames skyward across the capital as the IDF confirmed "organized plan with many surprises to destabilise the regime." The fuel hits cripple distribution networks, compounding economic agony from global energy chaos. Tehran streets filled with desperate drivers as petrol stations ran dry amid expanding war footprint.
Bahrain reported Sunday an Iranian drone attack caused "material damage" to a desalination facility—first Arab nation confirming such infrastructure strike. Water supplies held firm but Gulf states now scramble to protect their precious desalinization lifelines. Iran countered Saturday accusing US of hitting Qeshm Island plant, disrupting 30 villages' water in tit-for-tat escalation.
Saudi Arabia mourned two dead, 12 wounded from Al-Kharj residential strike; Kuwait lost two officers in government building blaze; UAE tallied four migrant workers killed after intercepting 16 ballistic missiles, 113 drones. Riyadh privately warned Tehran continued energy attacks trigger retaliation. Lebanon entered war's vortex with Israel killing four in central Beirut hotel strike targeting Iranian commanders.
Iran's UN envoy counts 1,332 civilian deaths from US-Israeli attacks; Iranian strikes killed 10 Israelis, six US troops with Sunday claim of Kuwait base hits. Israel lost two soldiers in south Lebanon. Trump dismissed negotiations Sunday: "At some point there won't be anybody left to say 'We surrender.'" Axios reports US-Israel discuss special forces securing Iran's enriched uranium stockpile later.
A: Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; vote cast, announcement imminent.
A: US must approve or "he's not going to last long"; rejects negotiations.
A: Bahrain desalination plant damaged by Iranian drone; first Arab facility targeted.
A: Abolqasem Babaian, supreme leader's office head, died Saturday Israeli strike.
Disclaimer: This information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
