The house of Khamenei lives on

Some observers argue that Mojtaba Khamenei’s election as Iran’s third supreme leader may open the way for de-escalation with the United States. This view is wrong. His selection leads in the opposite direction. It does not show moderation. Rather, it shows continuity, but under much harder and more dangerous conditions. Mojtaba is likely to make the Islamic Republic’s regional and foreign policy even more aggressive. His political character, his long relationship with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the way he came to power all suggest a more radical Islamic Republic, if the regime survives.