Iran’s new supreme leader is a figure of mystery, but the symbolism is clear: the regime fights on | Sina Toossi

The rarely seen Mojtaba Khamenei is a surprise appointment, but his accession is above all a statement of defiance When Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s new supreme leader , many observers reacted with surprise. For decades, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been a shadowy figure in Iranian politics, rarely seen in public and almost never heard speaking. He has never given interviews, has held no elected office and appears publicly only on rare ceremonial occasions.