Iran's New Supreme Leader Wants a Nuclear Weapon, Reversing Tehran's Longstanding Posture

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who became supreme leader after Ali Khamenei's death in February 2026, is far more interested in pursuing a nuclear weapon than his father, the New York Times reported July 24. Ali Khamenei had publicly disavowed nuclear weapons as recently as September 2025. U.S. intelligence had consistently assessed Iran was not building one — assessments that may now need revision.