U.S. Intel Says Late Khamenei Doubted Mojtaba, Sees IRGC Running Iran
U.S. intelligence circulated to President Donald Trump and select senior officials concludes that Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had serious misgivings about his son Mojtaba succeeding him, viewing him as not very bright, unqualified for the job, and beset by personal‑life issues, according to multiple sources who spoke to CBS News. Mojtaba Khamenei was nonetheless chosen last weekend by Iran’s clerical council as the country’s third supreme leader, just over a week after his father was killed in an Israeli missile strike that opened the current U.S.–Israel war with Iran, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth now says he is “wounded and likely disfigured,” with his exact condition unknown. Trump, Vice President JD Vance and others have been briefed on the assessment, and Trump has told confidants he believes Iran is “essentially leaderless” with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps calling the shots and has publicly labeled Mojtaba a “lightweight” and “not somebody that the father even wanted” while the State Department has posted up to a $10 million reward for information on his whereabouts. The reporting underscores how Washington now sees a power vacuum or at least a weak, injured figurehead atop a regime increasingly driven by the IRGC’s military leadership, a shift that could shape both U.S. targeting decisions and any eventual endgame for the war.
📌 Key Facts
- U.S. intelligence analysis says Ali Khamenei regarded his son Mojtaba as not very bright, unqualified to be supreme leader, and troubled by personal‑life issues.
- Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was selected as Iran’s new supreme leader last weekend, roughly eight days after Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli missile strike.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters the younger Khamenei is “wounded and likely disfigured,” while Trump has been briefed that the IRGC is effectively running Iran and has publicly called Mojtaba a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” leader.
📊 Relevant Data
Black service members make up approximately 20% of the U.S. military as of 2023, compared to about 14% of the overall U.S. population, indicating overrepresentation in the armed forces.
Here is the makeup of the US military and how it's changed — WMTW
In 2023, food insecurity rates were 21.2% for Black non-Hispanic households and 20.7% for Hispanic households, compared to 9.5% for White non-Hispanic households and 12.2% overall.
Food Security in the U.S. - Key Statistics & Graphics — USDA Economic Research Service
The U.S.-Iran conflict is disrupting fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to higher global food prices and potential increases in grocery costs for American consumers.
Food prices could rise as Iran conflict disrupts fertilizer supply chain — CNBC
In recent polls from 2026, a majority of Americans (around 53-56%) oppose U.S. military action in Iran, with strong partisan divides: approximately 85-89% of Democrats oppose it, while 84-85% of Republicans support it.
Majority of Americans oppose military action in Iran, new poll finds — PBS
Mojtaba Khamenei, born in 1969 in Mashhad, received religious education at Qom Seminary and served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during the Iran-Iraq War.
Mojtaba Khamenei | Supreme Leader, Biography, Father, & Iran — Britannica
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