Iran’s new supreme leader is a figure of mystery, but the symbolism is clear: the regime fights on | Sina Toossi

The rarely seen Mojtaba Khamenei is a surprise appointment, but his accession is above all a statement of defianceWhen Mojtaba Khamenei was , many observers reacted with surprise. For decades, the son of had been a shadowy figure in Iranian politics, rarely seen in public and almost never heard speaking.He has never given interviews, has held no elected office and appears publicly only on rare ceremonial occasions. Even among political insiders, knowledge of his views is fragmentary. What little is known about him consists of scattered anecdotes: brief involvement in the Iran-Iraq war as a young man, occasional appearances in political circles and a long association with figures inside Iran’s security establishment.