Staring at an uncertain future, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly named three senior clerics as potential successors marking an unprecedented move since the Iran-Israel war began, suggesting that he is preparing for the end of his more than three-decade rule.According to a New York Times report, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba, who is also a cleric, has not been named in the list of successors. Iran’s former hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, was once seen as a leading contender to succeed Ayatollah Khamenei, but his prospects ended with his death in a helicopter crash in 2024.Moreover, the report, citing Iranian officials, said that Khomenei has retreated to a secure underground bunker, suspending all electronic communications and relying solely on a trusted aide to relay messages to military commanders. These emergency protocols reflect a deep concern over assassination threats, particularly following the deaths of several high-ranking IRGC officials in recent Israeli attacks.
Move to end dynastic succession?
Long viewed as a shadowy figure with considerable influence behind the scenes, and often speculated to be groomed for leadership, Mojtaba’s omission signals a deliberate move to reject dynastic succession. This may be an attempt to preserve the Islamic Republic’s legitimacy by upholding its religious and institutional foundations rather than allowing power to pass within a family line.By naming successors and reshuffling key positions within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Khamenei appears to be laying the groundwork for continuity in case of further instability or even his own sudden demise. It is a rare acknowledgment of the fragility now surrounding Iran’s top leadership, as the country grapples with both external military threats and internal questions about its political future.
US, Israel signal Khomenei not untouchable
Khomenei’s apprehensions aren’t delusional. US and Israel have, at several moments in the past week, made it clear that the two would consider targeting the Supreme Leader.Even though the United States has not officially entered the Iran-Israel crisis, Donald Trump has made his contempt towards Khamenei crystal clear after he issued a stark warning to the Supreme Leader saying that the States wouldn’t “kill” him, “at least not for now”.“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” he had said earlier this week. Trump has also demanded an unconditional surrender.This was followed by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning that the nation wasn’t ruling out targeting Khomenei. Speaking to ABC news, when asked if Israel would target the Supreme Leader, Netanyahu said “doing what we need to do.”Meanwhile, Khomenei has not directly responded to these threats, but has made it clear that Iran would not “submit to anyone’s attacks”.
