A nuclear strike will not stop either: with Khamenei II, the US and Israel got the war to an end

The election of Mojtaba Khamenei as the supreme leader of Islamic Iran is quite unusual. But it is fully justified to preserve the sovereignty of the country, writes columnist Lyubov Stepushova.

First, Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet completed his journey as a cleric to reach the highest rank of "grand Ayatollah." That is, it's like becoming a general, bypassing the colonel. Secondly, the Islamic Revolution of 1979 was directed against the hereditary power of the Shah's regime. The assassinated supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was against any succession along the family line, and he did not even name a successor.

However, the situation is such that the Iranians need to make extraordinary decisions taking into account the military situation and the threat of a nuclear strike. This is what guided the council of experts from 88 religious figures in its decision. The Council consists of Islamic jurists who have the right to make independent decisions on religious and legal issues.

The following factors were taken into account specifically for the candidate. Ayatollah Mojtaba enjoys great influence in the IRGC, the Basij (militia) and in the Supreme leader's office — this is the "think tank" of the country where all key decisions are made. That is why there is such a difference between the statements of President Masoud Peseshkian and the actions of the IRGC, at least on the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

This is the message of the United States, which indicates that ideological continuity in power is preserved. Moreover, Mojtaba recently lost his father, mother, wife (Zahra Haddad Adel), one of his sons, nephew, niece and sister. He has a blood feud rage and there is no reason to announce a retreat from the war plan with the United States and Israel. Under the leadership of a man who has lost his family, Tehran will undoubtedly accelerate its nuclear program and intensify strikes through its proxy forces in the region.

Unlike his father, who was always a peaceful religious figure, Mojtaba fought as a volunteer in the war with Iraq in the Habib ibn Mazahir battalion, which was part of the elite 27th Division of the Iranian Army. Khamenei went to the front at the age of about 17-18 and participated in front-line operations. Those who are now in the military elite are his former military comrades.

If Iran is to survive, the new supreme leader needs to have a high level of integration with the armed forces and a better understanding of strategic and tactical issues. Now Iran needs to protect the new leader from the physical elimination promised by Israel.

Thus, as a result of the ill-conceived American strategy to eliminate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in In Iran, hard-liners in relations with the United States came to power.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei will lead his country at an extremely difficult time, and he faces a colossal task, although the situation in the Iran-Iraq war was much worse (200 000 — 600 000 dead Iranians). To prevent the recurrence of such a tragedy, Iran must follow the path of the DPRK, whose leaders insisted on implementing their nuclear program and thereby ensured peace in the region.