Iran’s clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader has reportedly reached a majority consensus on a successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though the decision has yet to be formally announced.
The development was disclosed by Assembly of Experts member Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, who said the process is nearing completion, but some issues still need to be resolved before a public declaration is made.
The leadership transition follows the death of Khamenei during the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, which has claimed the lives of several senior officials and military commanders.
What they are saying
Members of the Assembly of Experts say the process of choosing Iran’s next supreme leader is nearing completion, although procedural hurdles remain before an official announcement is made.
- “Some obstacles” still need to be resolved regarding the process, said Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
- Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir said the assembly had already selected a candidate to succeed the late leader.
- “This is an extraordinary situation, the assembly cannot meet in a plenary,” Heidari Alekasir said in a video released by Nournews.
- He added that targeting the assembly during the current conflict would only benefit Iran’s enemies and “harm the revolution.”
Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda also confirmed that the successor had been chosen, adding that the head of the assembly’s secretariat, Ayatollah Hashem Hosseini Bushehri, is responsible for announcing the decision.
More insights
Iranian media reports suggest that the Assembly of Experts is facing logistical challenges over how to finalize and communicate its decision amid ongoing security risks.
- Members of the clerical body are reportedly debating whether to meet physically to approve the final decision or to adopt remote and written procedures.
- The debate follows security concerns after Iranian media reported that an auxiliary building belonging to the Assembly of Experts in Qom was damaged by air strikes earlier in the conflict.
- Israeli and U.S. strikes since the start of the war on February 28 have killed dozens of Iranian officials and military commanders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Clerics involved in the process say the chosen candidate aligns with the late leader’s guidance that Iran’s supreme leader should be strongly opposed by the country’s adversaries.
One cleric noted that the selected candidate’s name had even been mentioned by the United States, which he said reinforced the late leader’s criteria for succession.
Get up to speed
Attention has increasingly focused on Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late supreme leader, who has long been considered one of the most influential figures within Iran’s clerical establishment.
- Mojtaba Khamenei maintains close ties with Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards and has built influence behind the scenes within the political system.
- He has played a key role as a gatekeeper within his father’s office, despite never holding a formal government position.
- U.S. President Donald Trump recently described Mojtaba as the most likely successor but warned that such a choice would be unacceptable to him.
- Trump also suggested he should have a role in the process of selecting Iran’s next leader.
According to sources, Mojtaba Khamenei was not in Tehran when his father was killed during air strikes earlier in the conflict.
What you should know
The position of Iran’s supreme leader is the most powerful role in the country’s political system, overseeing the military, judiciary, and key aspects of government policy.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei served as Iran’s supreme leader from 1989 until his death.
- Before assuming the role, he served as Iran’s president for nearly eight years.
- Mojtaba Khamenei has been widely viewed as a potential successor for years, despite lacking formal government experience.
- He was also a target of criticism during nationwide protests in 2022 following the death of a young woman in police custody after she was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code laws.
The Assembly of Experts is expected to formally announce the new supreme leader once internal procedural issues surrounding the decision are resolved.
