Succession Planning in Iran: Khamenei Names Potential Successors During Crisis

As Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeks refuge in a bunker amidst Israeli air strikes, reports suggest he has identified potential successors within the military leadership. To avoid being tracked, Khamenei has restricted electronic communications, relying on a trusted aide for communication. According to The New York Times, Khamenei has named three senior clerics as possible replacements, a sign of the precarious situation and a departure from the norm of his three-decade rule. The recent Israeli attacks, considered the most intense since the Iran-Iraq war, have significantly impacted Tehran. Iran has responded with daily attacks on Israel, targeting various sites. Iranian leaders are quietly planning for different scenarios and assessing the potential role of the U.S. in the conflict. While the process of selecting a new supreme leader usually takes months, the current war necessitates a quicker, more structured transition to preserve the regime. Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the state. The Supreme Leader holds extensive authority, governing the armed forces, courts, parliament, and government. Contrary to some expectations, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, is not among the potential candidates. Since the war began, Khamenei has delivered video messages, vowing resistance. The Supreme Leader usually resides in the heavily guarded ‘leader’s house’ in Tehran.