Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a February 2026 US-Israeli airstrike that also struck senior military and nuclear figures, triggering an expedited succession process. The Assembly of Experts installed his son Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader in March amid the conflict, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gaining greater influence over decision-making. Mojtaba has issued hardline statements on revenge and policy while remaining largely out of public view, prompting repeated official affirmations of his health and recovery from injuries, including direct meetings reported by President Masoud Pezeshkian in September 2026. Ongoing military operations, economic pressures, and diplomatic signals around negotiations or ceasefires continue to shape assessments of further leadership stability or transition.