Who is Mojtaba Khamenei? 7 things to know about Iran’s likely next leader

As Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for nearly four decades as the country’s highest religious and political authority, was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes during an ongoing military conflict, the Islamic Republic’s leadership has begun the process of selecting a successor.

Several potential candidates exist, but Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late leader, is widely seen as a leading contender to become the country’s next Ayatollah. Here are seven significant things to know about him.

Iran’s constitution sets out a formal process for choosing a new supreme leader. After the incumbent's death, a temporary leadership council takes over the duties of the office. The permanent successor is then selected by the Assembly of Experts, an elected body of 88 clerics that has the constitutional authority to appoint the country’s supreme leader. 

Here are seven significant facts about Mojtaba Khamenei that offer a clearer sense of what his leadership might look like.