Current Affairs Questions for CLAT | QB Set 2

Mojtaba Khamenei, a mid-ranking cleric, is succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s next Supreme Leader. This follows the death of Ali Khamenei, 86, who was reportedly killed in US-Israel strikes, triggering a new war in the Middle East.

In a statement, the Assembly of Experts — a body of 88 clerics responsible for choosing the country’s Supreme Leader — announced the appointment. The statement said that by a decisive vote, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei had been appointed as the third leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

When the US Sanctioned Mojtaba Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei was sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department in 2019.

According to the US government, he was designated for representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or formally appointed to a government position, apart from working in the office of his father.

The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also imposed sanctions on the Armed Forces General Staff of Iran and nine individuals who were either appointed by or acted on behalf of Ali Khamenei.

US Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin stated that these individuals were linked to several activities attributed to the Iranian regime, including the bombing of the US Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association in 1994. They were also accused of involvement in torture, extrajudicial killings, and repression of civilians.

The sanctions were imposed under an executive order signed by then-US President Donald Trump on June 24, 2019.

According to the US Treasury Department, Ali Khamenei had delegated part of his leadership responsibilities to his second son. It alleged that Mojtaba Khamenei worked closely with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and the Basij Resistance Force to advance his father’s regional ambitions and domestic policies.

Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is considered a low-profile cleric who spent most of his career outside public office. Despite this, he remained close to power through his work within the Office of the Supreme Leader.

He was often described as a “gatekeeper” to his father and a “powerbroker”, rather than a public political figure with a formal government role.

Mojtaba Khamenei was born in 1969 in Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran. He is the second-eldest son of Ali Khamenei, who had six children.

Question 1

Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as the Supreme Leader of Iran by which body?

A. Assembly of Experts
B. Guardian Council
C. Iranian Parliament
D. Supreme National Security Council

Answer: A

Explanation:
The Assembly of Experts, a constitutional body consisting of Islamic clerics, is responsible for appointing, supervising, and if necessary dismissing the Supreme Leader of Iran. It voted to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei as the next Supreme Leader.

Question 2

Mojtaba Khamenei was sanctioned in 2019 by which organisation of the United States?

A. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
B. US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
C. US State Department
D. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Answer: B

Explanation:
The sanctions were imposed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which functions under the US Treasury Department and administers economic and trade sanctions against individuals, entities, and countries.

Question 3

The sanctions against Mojtaba Khamenei were imposed pursuant to an executive order signed by which US President in 2019?

A. Barack Obama
B. Joe Biden
C. George W. Bush
D. Donald Trump

Answer: D

Explanation:
The sanctions were implemented under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on June 24, 2019, targeting individuals associated with Iran’s Supreme Leader and military establishment.

Question 4

Mojtaba Khamenei is closely associated with which Iranian military organisation mentioned in the passage?

A. Iranian National Guard
B. Iranian Defence Council
C. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF)
D. Iranian Intelligence Directorate

Answer: C

Explanation:
The passage states that Mojtaba Khamenei worked closely with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and the Basij Resistance Force, organisations involved in Iran’s military and ideological operations.

Question 5

Mojtaba Khamenei was born in which Iranian city?

A. Tehran
B. Qom
C. Mashhad
D. Shiraz

Answer: C

Explanation:
Mojtba Khamenei was born in 1969 in Mashhad, a major city in northeastern Iran. Mashhad is also one of the most important religious centres in the country.