Senior members of Iran’s top religious body, which is tasked with naming the Supreme Leader of Iran, say they are nearing a decision on a new Supreme Leader to succeed Ayatollah Khamenei, who was recently killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes as part of the ongoing conflict between the two countries.
Ayatollah Mirbaqeri, who is a member of the Assembly of Experts, points out that while the entire Assembly has reached a tentative agreement on the next Supreme Leader, they still need to complete some procedures before issuing a formal announcement about who that person will be.
Assembly of Experts preparing to select new leader
Iranian newspapers are reporting that the Assembly may meet as soon as a day from now to formally announce their successor. This transition in leadership comes at an unprecedented time in Iran’s history, following the assassination of Khamenei during the ongoing war between the United States and Israel.
There appears to be broad consensus on a successor within the clerical body, but there is still internal discussion about how to formally authorize that successor.
Many Assembly members favor an in-person Assembly meeting prior to voting, while some think the current security issues and ongoing war make it too dangerous to hold an ASM meeting now.
Another member of the Assembly, Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir, also said a physical meeting would be impracticable. He stated in a video distributed by Iranian media that the Assembly could perform its responsibilities without the customary physical ASM meeting.
Candidate reportedly chosen amid heightened tensions
In addition, Alekasir has indicated that there is already an internal candidate chosen in accordance to Khamenei’s earlier direction.
According to Alekasir, the late Supreme Leader thought that the Supreme Leader of Iran would be someone that the enemies of Iran would strongly oppose rather than someone that the enemies would praise.
“Even the Great Satan has referred to him,” Alekasir said, in reference to the United States of America.
These comments appear to refer to a comment Trump made about whether Khamenei’s Son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would replace his father Khamenei.
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Israeli military issues warning over succession
There are reports, per the Israel Defense Forces, that as Iran prepares to select a successor to Khamenei, Israel will specifically target anyone involved in the appointment process. This suggests that the current conflict between Iran and Israel may escalate further as Iran undergoes its transition to a new leader.
In a Farsi-language social media post, the Israeli military warned that they would continue to pursue everyone involved in the appointment of a new Supreme Leader. This underscores the ongoing military and strategic confrontation between the two countries.
The selection of a new Supreme Leader during wartime is extremely important to the future direction of both Iran’s politics and military.
The Supreme Leader has the ultimate authority over Iran’s military, foreign policy, and political decisions. Appointing a successor during an active war complicates an already volatile situation.
Experts believe that the choice of a new Supreme Leader will influence how Iran responds to the current war and impact the country’s internal stability in the coming months.
As the Assembly of Experts nears a decision on the new Supreme Leader, Iran could soon announce a new Supreme Leader at a time when the region is experiencing one of its most dangerous crises.
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