China stated on Monday that Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader following his father’s assassination was an internal matter, and it opposed any attempt to harm him.
Israel’s military has promised to assassinate any successor to former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was murdered over a week ago in the first round of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, told reporters on Monday that Iran’s decision to appoint the younger Khamenei was “based on its constitution.”
“China opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext, and Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected,” he said when asked about the threats against the new leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Ali Khamenei, was named Iran’s new supreme leader, according to Iranian state media.
The 56-year-old cleric was announced as his father’s successor on Sunday following a vote by the Assembly of Experts, the group of senior clerics responsible for appointing the Islamic Republic’s highest authority.
His appointment comes just days after his father was reportedly killed in joint strikes carried out by the United States and Israel last Saturday.
In recent years, Mojtaba Khamenei had increasingly been mentioned within Iranian political circles as a potential successor to his father, although he had never publicly addressed the possibility.
Before the official announcement, Hosseinali Eshkevari, a member of the Assembly of Experts, hinted that the leadership decision had already been finalized.
“The name of Khamenei will continue,” Eshkevari said in a video circulated by Iranian media.
“The vote has been cast and will be announced soon.”
In Iran’s political system, the supreme leader holds ultimate authority over the state, sitting above the president and exercising final control over the military, judiciary, and key national policies.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s rise has already sparked debate among observers who say the move could resemble a hereditary transfer of power similar to the monarchy that existed before the Iranian Revolution.
Israel and the United States have continued to pound Iran in recent days, and Iran has replied by launching waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors that host US personnel.
