Iranians Celebrate After Mojtaba Khamenei Announced New Supreme Leader

Tehran: Celebrations erupted across Iran as hundreds of people took to the streets of the country after Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was announced as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, Press TV reported on Monday.

His selection saw support pour in from various segments of Iran, with the IRGC and General Staff of the Armed Forces pledging support to Mojtaba Khamenei.

People turned on the streets in large numbers, expressing their happiness after Iran's Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Leader of the Islamic Republic

Upon the announcement, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani called for unity behind the new leader and expressed hope for Iran's development under his leadership, Press TV reported.

Iran's Parliament speaker called Mojtaba Khamenei's selection a "soothing balm", it further reported.

Meanwhile, Press TV also reported that the IRGC and Iran's General Staff of the Armed Forces pledged its support to the newly elected supreme leader.

Khamenei's official X account posted on X, “The representatives of the Assembly of Experts appointed and introduced Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei (may God protect him) as the Third Leader of the Sacred Islamic Republic of Iran under Article 108 of the Constitution.”

Shortly after his name was announced, Press TV said that Iran launched two waves of missiles at Israel.

As per the Jerusalem Post, the missile fragments hit central Israel, injuring one.

The developments follow amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran.

In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks across multiple Arab countries.

Now in its 9th day, the conflict has seen the humanitarian toll in Iran continuing to rise. According to Al Jazeera, the scale of the devastation is mounting, with official figures revealing that "over 1,300 people have been killed" since the violence began.

The intensification of the fighting is such that "around 100,000 have been displaced", as residents are "forcing many to flee their homes" in search of safety. This mass movement of people has overwhelmed relief efforts, as the UN refugee agency reports a "surge in urgent calls for assistance" to address the growing needs of the affected population.

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