US assesses Mojtaba Khamenei more interested in nuclear weapons than predecessor – report

US intelligence agencies believe Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is more intent on acquiring nuclear weapons than his late father, according to a New York Times report. Officials briefed on the information stated that the killing of his predecessor in February intensified Tehran's nuclear ambitions. While Khamenei has been in hiding since being injured in the strike that killed his father, intelligence gathered before the war indicated his interest in advancing enrichment and weapons programs. Although Iran has not restarted nuclear enrichment, steps have been taken to preserve damaged nuclear assets, including moving centrifuges to the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex. US officials noted that Khamenei is reportedly interested in developing a thermonuclear warhead for long-range missiles.