New Delhi: As nationwide protests against Iran’s Islamic regime intensify, with crowds chanting “Death to Khamenei” and security forces unleashing brutal crackdowns, speculation is rife about Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s next moves.
Amid reports of an alleged escape plan to Moscow with close family and aides if unrest overwhelms authorities, attention has turned to the 86-year-old leader’s large family, often shielded from public view.
According to reliable reports, including Wikipedia and Iran-focused outlets, Khamenei and his wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, have six children: four sons — Mostafa (eldest), Mojtaba, Masoud, and Meysam— and two daughters, Boshra and Hoda. The children, particularly the sons, maintain low profiles but are deeply tied to religious and political circles.
Mojtaba, the second-eldest, is widely regarded as an influential figure behind the scenes and frequently speculated upon as an unofficial successor or “crown prince” to his father, though Khamenei has historically opposed hereditary succession.
The sons are married into prominent clerical and political families, strengthening regime alliances. Details about the daughters remain scarce in the public domain, reflecting the family’s preference for privacy. Khamenei also has several grandchildren, with one notable name — Mohammad Bagher Khamenei — occasionally mentioned.
On the siblings’ front, Khamenei has three brothers from his father’s second marriage: Badri (a deceased sister from the first marriage noted separately), Hadi (a cleric and editor), and Hassan (not religiously inclined). Some extended family members have distanced themselves or gone into exile over the years.
As protests rage across Iran — fuelled by economic woes, repression, and calls for regime change — and with US signals of potential support for demonstrators, the Khamenei clan’s future remains a focal point of intrigue and uncertainty.