JAKARTA - The Chinese government said the election of the new supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, was in accordance with the country's constitution.
"The election of the new leader is a decision made by Iran in accordance with its constitution," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun at a press conference in Beijing, Monday, March 9, reported by ANTARA.
Mojtaba Khamenei (56) was officially appointed as Iran's new Supreme Leader on Monday (9/3), replacing his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in a raid by the United States (US) and Israel.
The third supreme leader of Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution is expected to follow in the footsteps of his father who chose a hardline approach to the US. He took over the leadership at a time when regional conflicts were heating up and domestic uncertainty was increasing.
Mojtaba Khamenei's wife and father died in a US and Israeli airstrike on February 28.
US President Donald Trump earlier said that whoever the new Supreme Leader in Iran is who does not get the "approval" of the US will not last long.
"China opposes interference in the internal affairs of other countries under any pretext. Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity must be respected," said Guo Jiakun.
China, said Guo Jiakun, called for an immediate cessation of military operations, a return to dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible, and no further escalation of tensions.
The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest authority in the judicial, legislative, and administrative power in Iran. He is also the one who makes decisions regarding important matters in Iran, including in terms of the nuclear program.
Mojtaba was chosen by the Iranian Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body that according to the Constitution is responsible for appointing the country's highest political and religious authorities.
His election followed a constitutional procedure that has been established, not through the inheritance of power, although his family background and his closeness to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have long placed him at the center of speculation about the succession of leadership.
Like many figures in the Iranian clerical establishment, Mojtaba received his religious education in the city of Qom, the main center of Shiite theological learning in the country and the site of various seminaries that educate Iranian clerics.
He studied Islamic jurisprudence and theology under the guidance of a number of prominent conservative scholars, including Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, and Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, an influential ideologue who guided many conservative political figures in Iran.
Although he has been in the environment of ulama for a long time, Mojtaba has never held an official position in the government or served in an executive position or a position elected through general elections.
The lack of public appearances reinforces this image, as there are almost no long public speeches, interviews, or political manifestos that explain in detail his views.
Mojtaba himself rarely engages directly in political debates in public spaces. His appearances are mostly limited to official ceremonies, national commemorations, and religious gatherings covered by Iranian state media.
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