Iranians Rally in Tehran Square to Back New Supreme Leader
On 09 March 2026, Iranians gathered at Enqelab Square in Tehran to demonstrate support for the newly appointed supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. The event occurred around midday, even as airstrikes hit parts of the capital, with crowds chanting allegiance and carrying banners featuring the faces of both the slain leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his son and successor, Mojtaba.
State Media Showcases Loyalty Amidst Contrasting Sentiments
State media broadcast similar scenes from cities across Iran, showing pledges of loyalty with chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel", under the watch of security forces. These images starkly contrasted with those from nine days earlier, when Iranians celebrated the assassination of Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli strike. Many blame the late cleric for decades of repression, including violent crackdowns on protests that resulted in thousands of deaths.
Just hours before Mojtaba's announcement on Sunday night, social media videos surfaced showing people in Tehran chanting "Death to Mojtaba". Despite an ongoing internet blackout imposed by the regime since the war began, some Iranians have managed to send texts abroad, expressing fears and skepticism.
Concerns Over Hardline Leadership and Repression
Mojtaba Khamenei, aged 56, has maintained a low public profile but is known for his close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its volunteer militia, the Basij. He has yet to address the nation publicly. Nima, a 21-year-old student from Mashhad, commented, "People are waiting to see if Trump will assassinate him, since he said that if he doesn't like the next leader, he will kill him." Nima added that Mojtaba is "way more of a hardliner than his father was" due to his strong connections to security institutions, which he largely controls.
State media reported that the 28 February strike that killed Ali Khamenei, who ruled for 37 years, also claimed the lives of several family members, including Mojtaba's wife and son, with rumors suggesting the new leader was wounded. Nima warned that the atmosphere in Iran "will become more repressive and security-driven under him", noting this is contingent on his survival.
Continued Crackdown and Public Reactions
A national crackdown has persisted despite the war, with the prosecutor general warning Iranians abroad that cooperation with the US and Israel could lead to property confiscation and execution. Farzad, a 26-year-old anti-government protester in west Tehran, described regime forces chanting "God is great" while patrolling streets, appearing "on steroids" due to anger over the Khamenei family deaths. He stated, "He lost his family and he will definitely consider protesters responsible for this war."
Farzad interpreted Mojtaba's selection as a message to Donald Trump that the regime "won't back down", predicting a prolonged conflict and reluctance to protest under airstrikes and empowered Basij forces. Supporters view Mojtaba as a symbol of continuity; a digitally rendered image circulating on pro-regime channels shows Ali Khamenei handing a folded national flag to his son, representing the transfer of guardianship.
Mixed Perspectives on the New Leadership
At a pro-regime rally, university student Zahra Mirbagheri, 21, told Reuters that Mojtaba's appointment was "a slap in the face to our enemies who thought the system will collapse with the killing of his father." However, critics highlight the regime's origins in the 1979 revolt against monarchy, now marred by corruption, mismanagement, and violence.
An activist in Tehran sarcastically pledged allegiance to the new "crown prince", remarking, "All hail the king. Who would have thought the operation 'Epic Fury' would turn out to be the operation epic failure where they managed to convince the hardliners to bring back monarchy?" They added, "Kudos to the US president for the success of another mission impossible. It's ironic, but funny really. We are being taken for a fool and the show has just begun. Wait and watch how disastrous this decision is going to be not only for us, but also for the world, because Khamenei 2.0 is going to be doing exactly what the IRGC wants and not the other way around."
The situation in Iran remains tense, with public displays of support masking underlying divisions and fears of escalating repression under the new supreme leader's hardline stance.
