TEHRAN — The rise of Mojtaba Khamenei to the apex of Iran's political system has thrust a long-shadowy figure into the center of one of the Islamic Republic's most consequential moments. Yet the real story is less about his personality and more about the power networks surrounding him, particularly within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — and how those networks may shape Iran's conduct during an expanding and unpredictable regional conflict.

For years, Mojtaba, the 56-year-old son of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, operated largely behind the scenes, rarely speaking publicly and avoiding formal government roles. His name first surfaced prominently in Iran's political landscape in 2005, when he and a network linked to the IRGC were reported to have helped secure the presidential victory of his favored candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Mojtaba's influence was again widely discussed during the disputed 2009 election, when Ahmadinejad's contested reelection triggered mass protests. Opponents accused Mojtaba of playing a role in coordinating the crackdown that followed these protests — a moment when demonstrators, for the first time, chanted against him in Iranian streets. 

These accusations were never substantiated, but they helped cement his reputation inside Iran as a power broker closely tied to the country's complicated security apparatus.

IRGC networks behind Mojtaba