00:01Authorities in Iran announced that Mujtaba Khamenei, son of late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
00:06has been selected to succeed his father as supreme leader.
00:10The country's assembly of experts appointed Mujtaba after a week of deliberation
00:15following the killing of Ali Khamenei on the 28th of February.
00:19Ali Khamenei was the second supreme leader of Iran
00:22and has held that position for almost 37 years since 1989.
00:27The younger Khamenei has been described as a secretive 56-year-old cleric
00:32who maintains close ties with the country's paramilitary revolutionary guard corps.
00:37He was appointed to the top Iranian job,
00:40despite having never been elected or serving in a government position.
00:44Many have criticized his selection,
00:46disagreeing with the idea of handing over the supreme leader title based on heredity,
00:51thereby creating a clerical version of the rule of the Shah,
00:54which the Islamic revolution toppled in 1979.
00:58The panel of clerics, however, likely selected him to prosecute the war.
01:04Mujtaba, who is believed to hold even more hardline views than his late father,
01:08will now be in charge of Iran's armed forces
01:11and any decision regarding the country's nuclear program.
01:15Tehran still holds stock of highly enriched uranium
01:17that's only a short technical step from weapons-grade levels.
01:21Many fear Mujtaba may do what his father never did, pursue the bomb.
01:26Israel has already described him as a potential target,
01:30while US President Donald Trump criticized the idea of Khamenei taking power.
01:35Trump called his appointment unacceptable,
01:38noting that he wants someone that will bring harmony and peace to govern the country.
01:42He also said he wants Washington to have a say in who comes to power once the war is over,
01:48warning that anyone appointed without his approval will, quote,
01:52not last long.
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