Iran's president praises new supreme leader

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Dhaka, March - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader.

In a message posted on the social media platform X, Pezeshkian described Mojtaba’s selection as “a manifestation of the people’s will in governance.”

The president expressed hope that Iran would be able to address its challenges under the new leader’s “wise leadership” and through the creation of an atmosphere built on public trust and participation.

Pezeshkian came to power after winning Iran’s presidential election in July 2024, defeating hardline conservative rival Saeed Jalili with 53.3 percent of the vote. However, the election was marked by widespread dissatisfaction, with millions of voters reportedly boycotting the polls.

On Saturday morning, Pezeshkian apologised to neighbouring countries for recent Iranian strikes targeting their territories.

Despite the apology, regional tensions continued. Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Qatar said on Monday that they had intercepted Iranian missiles, two days after the president’s remarks, with additional strikes reported over the weekend. - BBC