Amid escalating tensions with Israel and assassination threats, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly shortlisted three clerics as potential successors, excluding his son Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a report by The New York Times. The decision comes as Khamenei takes refuge in a secure bunker during the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.
Sources cited by NYT indicate that Khamenei, now 86, has also begun appointing replacements for key military commanders killed in Israeli airstrikes. The clerical Assembly of Experts — the body responsible for selecting the next Supreme Leader — has been urged to act swiftly due to the wartime urgency.
Despite earlier speculation, Khamenei’s move to bypass Mojtaba underscores a calculated and pragmatic approach to maintaining the stability of the Islamic Republic and ensuring a controlled transition of power. Iranian officials say Khamenei sees a possible assassination by Israel or the U.S. as martyrdom, emphasizing the high-risk situation.
Vali Nasr, a prominent Iran analyst, noted: “The top priority is the preservation of the state. It is all calculative and pragmatic.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s objective is the destruction of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic infrastructure and hinted at efforts that could potentially influence regime change. When asked if this included targeting Khamenei, he responded, “No one is immune.”
The Israel-Iran conflict has entered its second week, with renewed Israeli strikes targeting a nuclear facility in Isfahan. Diplomatic efforts in Geneva have so far failed, with Iran insisting it won’t negotiate under attack.
