Putin Pledges Support to Iran’s New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his congratulations to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday, following the latter's election as Iran's new Supreme Leader — and wasted no time pledging Moscow's full backing to Tehran amid the ongoing war with the United States and Israel.

Key Highlights

• Putin congratulates Mojtaba Khamenei, pledges strong Russian support to Iran amid escalating conflict with US and Israel.
• Iran appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader after Ali Khamenei’s death in US-Israeli airstrike.

In a Kremlin-published telegram, Putin acknowledged the gravity of the moment: "Now, when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your work in this high office will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication. I am confident that you will honorably continue your father's work and unite the Iranian people in the face of severe trials."

The Russian president went further, reaffirming Moscow's strategic alignment with Tehran: "I would like to confirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends. Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic."

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was named Iran's third Supreme Leader in history by the Assembly of Experts in the early hours of March 9, just over a week after a joint US-Israeli airstrike killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at his Tehran residence on February 28. The elder Khamenei had held the position for 37 years.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian welcomed the appointment as heralding a "new era of dignity and strength" for the nation, calling it "a manifestation of the will of the Islamic nation to consolidate national unity."

Also Read: Iran Appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as New Supreme Leader Amid Oil Surge

The transition, however, has drawn sharp warnings from Washington and Tel Aviv. US President Donald Trump declared that Iran's new supreme leader would need American approval to survive, saying: "He's going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long." Republican Senator Lindsey Graham echoed the threat, stating on X: "I believe it's just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father."

China joined Russia in opposing any targeting of the new Supreme Leader, deepening the geopolitical fault lines between the US-Israeli coalition and the Moscow-Beijing-Tehran axis.

The leadership transition comes as Iran faces a multi-front challenge — continuing airstrikes that have killed over 1,300 people, retaliatory operations against Israel and Gulf states, and mounting economic pressure from energy market disruptions. Analysts say Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment signals defiance rather than diplomacy, with little appetite for negotiations as the war enters its second week.