Son of Iran’s supreme leader killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes, named as his replacement

(NBC, KYMA) - The second son of Iran's supreme leader, who was killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes, has been named as his replacement.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the U.S. and Israeli strikes last weekend, and now his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been named to take his place.

According to Iran's State TV, the Assembly of Experts, or the Panel of Shiite Clerics responsible for choosing the country's leader, released a statement announcing Khamenei had been selected as the third leader of the Islamic Republic.

Khamenei's wife was among those killed in the same blast that killed his father.

The newly selected leader is a politician and cleric who has significant influence among the administration and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, he lacks religious credentials his father had to lead a clerical regime.

On Thursday, before Khamenei was officially declared supreme leader, President Donald Trump told Axios he would be an "unacceptable" choice, suggesting that he wanted to hand-pick the new leader, and Israel vowed to target any of Iran's declared successors.