China Backs Mojtaba Khamenei’s Appointment, Calls It Iran’s Internal Matter

China has described Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader as an internal matter and cautioned against any attempts to target him. The move follows the death of his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed during a series of coordinated air strikes by the United States and Israel.

Addressing the media on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun emphasized that Iran’s leadership decision was made in accordance with its constitutional procedures. “Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei was based on its constitution,” he stated. Guo further reiterated that Beijing opposes foreign interference in the internal affairs of other nations and called for respect for Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

The announcement comes amid rising tensions, as Israel’s military had indicated that any successor to Ali Khamenei could be a potential target in the ongoing conflict. Recent days have seen continued U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iranian targets, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory and Gulf states hosting American forces, further intensifying instability across the Middle East.