As the Israel-Iran conflict intensifies, fresh revelations have emerged indicating that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has selected three trusted clerics as potential successors, a move that reflects rising fears of an imminent decapitation strike.
Notably, the influential Mojtaba Khamenei—long assumed to be his father’s political heir—has reportedly been excluded from the shortlist, reshaping long-held assumptions about dynastic intentions within the Islamic Republic.
According to a detailed investigation published by The New York Times over the weekend, the 86-year-old Supreme Leader has been coordinating from a fortified underground location amid fears of targeted assassinations. The U.S. outlet, citing senior Iranian insiders, confirmed that Khamenei has identified three clerics to take over leadership in the event of his death.
The report underscores the increasing sense of urgency within Iran’s highest political echelons, following a succession of Israeli-led operations that have eliminated key military and intelligence figures.
A Strategic Break from Hereditary Leadership
For over a decade, speculation had mounted around Mojtaba Khamenei—Khamenei’s second son—being primed to inherit his father’s title. However, the exclusion of Mojtaba from the succession plan reveals a major ideological and strategic shift, likely aimed at avoiding any perception of nepotism in Iran’s theocratic system.
Israeli media outlet The Jerusalem Post confirmed the report, noting that Ayatollah Khamenei has also made leadership contingency arrangements within Iran’s military structure. This includes identifying possible successors for critical command posts in anticipation of further Israeli offensives that could dismantle Tehran’s senior defense cadre.
Contingency Planning Under Fire
Traditionally, the appointment of Iran’s Supreme Leader is carried out by the Assembly of Experts, a council composed of 88 clerics elected to oversee the supreme leadership. Yet the urgency of Khamenei’s recent decisions appears to signal a departure from protocol, with the Supreme Leader opting to preemptively influence the post-transition power structure.
Experts believe the selection of three candidates instead of one highlights both internal disagreements and the volatile security context. The names of the clerics remain undisclosed, but sources suggest they are hardliners closely aligned with Khamenei’s ideological legacy.
“This is not mere theoretical succession planning—it’s an active crisis response under existential threat,” said a Middle East intelligence official quoted by The New York Times.
Mounting Casualties Prompt Accelerated Action
The acceleration in succession planning comes amid an alarming string of high-profile assassinations. Israeli strikes in June 2025 have reportedly killed senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officials, including Major General Hossein Salami and General Gholam Ali Rashid. On June 13 alone, multiple nuclear scientists and military commanders were reportedly eliminated in a coordinated Israeli attack.
On June 17, Reuters reported that General Salami had been killed in action. Meanwhile, Tasnim News Agency disclosed that at least 22 alleged Mossad informants were arrested in the wake of the strikes.
These escalating attacks have triggered what analysts are calling a “wartime succession crisis,” with Iran’s supreme leadership planning for continuity in the face of external decapitation threats.
Khamenei’s Private Picks vs. Public Institutions
By selecting successors from within his inner ideological circle, Ayatollah Khamenei appears to be circumventing the formal powers of the Assembly of Experts. While the Assembly still holds constitutional authority, analysts believe the Supreme Leader’s informal selections could shape the leadership transition—particularly if his death occurs under emergency conditions.
“This is a shadow succession, one that bypasses institutional processes in favor of ideological loyalty,” said a geopolitical analyst speaking to Financial Times on June 20.
A report by Punch Newspaper on June 21 also noted that Iran is now openly preparing for a possible leadership change under wartime conditions, highlighting the broader implications for both domestic stability and regional security dynamics.
Implications for Regional Stability
The broader geopolitical ramifications of this development are significant. As Iran braces for a possible leadership vacuum, allied states and adversaries alike are closely monitoring the country’s internal cohesion. The Middle East, already destabilized by cross-border hostilities and proxy conflicts, faces heightened uncertainty as Tehran navigates a leadership succession in the midst of war.
“This is succession planning under siege,” stated a source quoted in The New York Times. “It reflects a regime bracing for survival, not just governance.”
What the Future Holds for Iran’s Leadership
Though the Assembly of Experts could theoretically override Khamenei’s selections, political analysts argue that his endorsement may carry significant weight—even posthumously. If the Supreme Leader’s private picks are upheld by military and clerical power blocs, Iran’s next leader may emerge not from consensus, but from strategic necessity.
Whether Iran’s leadership transition unfolds in line with constitutional mandates or through the force of preemptive planning, one thing is clear: the Islamic Republic is entering uncharted territory—politically, militarily, and ideologically.
