Putin congratulates Iran’s new supreme leader and reaffirms Russia’s ‘unwavering support’ for Tehran
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his congratulations to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, following his selection to succeed his father, the recently killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Now, when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your work in this high office undoubtedly demands great courage and dedication. I am sure that you will honorably continue your father’s work and unite the Iranian people in the face of severe trials,” the Russian president said in a statement published by the Kremlin on Monday.
Putin also reaffirmed the Kremlin’s “unwavering support” for Tehran, expressing “solidarity with our Iranian friends.” “Russia has been and will be a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic,” he said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on his compound in Tehran on February 28, after the United States and Israel launched a major attack on Iran. Iranian state media announced early Monday that his son, 56-year-old cleric Mojtaba Khamenei, had been selected as his successor.
Following the news, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pledged its allegiance, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment as “a manifestation of the will of the Islamic nation to consolidate national unity.”
U.S. President Donald Trump told Axios on March 5 that he intended to be personally involved in selecting Iran’s next leader. He reiterated this stance on Sunday, telling ABC news that a new leader “is not going to last long” without U.S. approval. Fox News later reported that Trump is “not happy” with Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection.
