Anadolu staff
10 March 2026•Update: 10 March 2026
ISTANBUL
Indonesia said Tuesday it “respects Iranian sovereignty” after the conflict-hit country appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Yvonne Mewengkang told the Jakarta Globe that the government was “closely monitoring developments in Iran’s leadership, particularly the announcement of a new supreme leader.”
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, became Iran’s third supreme leader. His father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held the position for nearly four decades before a joint US-Israel airstrike on Feb. 28 hit his Tehran home, killing him at age 86.
“Indonesia respects Iran’s sovereignty and the constitutional process in place,” said Yvonne.
Iran's 88-member Assembly of Experts announced its decision to pick Mojtaba as the next supreme leader Sunday night.
Russia, Iraq, Oman, Azerbaijan, and Belarus have formally congratulated Iran on the appointment.
Tensions in the region surged after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, which Tehran says killed about 1,300 people, including senior Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
