‘Unwavering Support’: Putin Backs Mojtaba Khamenei After Trump Says Iran Leader ‘Won’t Last Long’

Last Updated:March 09, 2026, 18:20 IST

Mojtaba Khamenei is the second-eldest son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening hours of US and Israeli strikes nine days ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday expressed “unwavering support" for Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed the position after his father and predecessor was killed in US-Israeli strikes.

In a message to Khamenei, Putin said, “I would like to reaffirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends," adding that “Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner" to Iran.

The Russian leader also said, “At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication."

Putin’s message of solidarity sharply contrasts with remarks made earlier by Donald Trump before the appointment of Iran’s new leader. In an interview with Axios, Trump had said, “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran."

“If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long," Trump told ABC News on Sunday. By Monday, Trump told the Times of Israel, “We’ll see what happens."

For most of his 56 years, Mojtaba Khamenei has remained largely out of the public eye. He is the second-eldest son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening hours of US and Israeli strikes nine days ago.

His rise comes at a time when the system of rule his father established—and tightly controlled—faces what is widely seen as the most serious existential challenge in its nearly 50-year history.

The leadership transition signals a new phase in the war, which has continued for nine days with no indication of slowing down. On Monday, Israel’s military carried out a fresh wave of strikes targeting central Iran and also hit Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut.

The latest attacks followed Israeli strikes on Tehran’s oil depots a day earlier. Iran has responded with its own strikes against Israel and Middle Eastern countries hosting US bases. On Sunday, two foreign nationals, including an Indian citizen, were killed when a projectile struck a residential area in Saudi Arabia.

News world ‘Unwavering Support’: Putin Backs Mojtaba Khamenei After Trump Says Iran Leader ‘Won’t Last Long’

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