The Iranian regime is in its death throes. As one of its final acts, Mojtaba Khamenei has been anointed as its new Supreme Leader, following the killing of his father Ali Khamenei by Israel in the opening salvo of the ongoing war. Mojtaba Khamenei is a name that won’t be familiar to many in the UK, but it strikes terror into the hearts of Iranians. His name is a byword for the violence which the regime has inflicted upon ordinary freedom-loving Iranians. As the new face of the Islamic Republic, it is hard to think of a more radical figure.

A true extremist compared to his own sadistic father, Mojtaba is infamous for his responsibility in brutally suppressing the five major anti-regime protests since 2009 – most recently in January when more than 30,000 were killed in just two days. Long before, Mojtaba was linked to the infamous ‘Chain Murders’ which rocked Iran from 1988-1998 when more than 80 high-profile Iranian intellectuals, writers, and political activists were murdered.

To the fury of Iranian dissidents in the UK, Mojtaba travelled to London with the serial killer mastermind of the crackdown, the Ministry of Intelligence deputy minister Saeed Emami. He lived in luxury in a five-star hotel in Park Lane for months.

Mojtaba has spent years ruthlessly operating behind the scenes undergoing training for the day he would take control. His appointment tells you everything you need to know about the murderous nature of this regime – he is, after all, the favoured candidate of the fanatical hardliners.

His appointment won’t prevent the inevitable collapse of a regime that has stolen 47 years from the long-suffering people of Iran. It is an impotent move. Instead, it is a final reminder that this regime is incapable of change – simply, there is no window for reform. Mojtaba will reject any prospect of negotiation.

It remains unclear to Iranians when the new Supreme Leader will publicly emerge. He was reportedly injured in the same airstrike that killed his father and wife – alongside much of Iran’s most senior military leadership. But there is widespread expectation that he will lash out in revenge both domestically and internationally. This won’t deter the Iranian public and nor should it the two Western nations who are trying to ensure a better future for the region.

Long regarded as the successor in waiting, Mojtaba’s appointment won’t change the calculation. America and Israel knew what they were signing up for and know they have no choice but to continue until the regime is defeated. This has been the direction of travel ever since the Iran-backed Hamas terror group unleashed its October 7 massacre. The regime’s dream of destroying the Jewish state and possessing nuclear weapons withered as Israel and the US concluded that they could no longer march to Tehran’s drumbeat.

In the near term, this war will continue to escalate but the regime lacks the means to persevere. Its cynical attack on neighbouring countries, including its ally Qatar, was a grave miscalculation. It will take some time, but the regime is in the process of falling.

The Iranian people are set to have their Berlin Wall moment. And as a new secular, democratic system founded on human rights and law is re-established in Iran, these very same people will remember that it was the UK which betrayed them by meekly abandoning their noble cause.