Panel picking Iran’s next supreme leader has reached consensus, members say

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s assembly tasked with selecting the nation’s new supreme leader has reached a decision, though the chosen successor has not yet been publicly named.

Selection Process Nears Completion

“The most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined,” said Mohsen Heydari, a member of the selection body representing Khuzestan province, according to Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, another member, confirmed in a video carried by Iran’s Fars news agency that “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached.”

On Saturday, a senior cleric within the Assembly of Experts indicated members would convene “within one day” to select a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the opening minutes of a joint air war campaign with the US on February 28.

Israel Issues Warning

Israel has threatened to target whoever is chosen as the next supreme leader. The Israeli military also warned it would pursue anyone involved in the appointment of a successor to Khamenei.

Potential Candidates and Obstacles

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader, has been widely reported as the front-runner, with some reports suggesting he was already chosen but the announcement was delayed due to security concerns. Sources indicate Khamenei may still be alive and in hiding.

Assembly member Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri stated Sunday that the panel had largely reached a consensus. However, the Mehr news agency reported that “some obstacles” remain regarding the process.

A disagreement reportedly exists within the group regarding whether an in-person meeting is necessary to finalize the decision or if it can be bypassed.

Ahmad Alamolhoda stated that Ayatollah Hashem Hosseini Bushehri, the head of the assembly’s secretariat, is responsible for announcing the assembly’s decision.

Heidari Alekasir indicated in a video released by Nournews on Sunday that an in-person meeting is currently not feasible, suggesting remote and written alternatives. “This is an extraordinary situation, the assembly cannot meet in a plenary,” he said.

Recent Strikes and Candidate Selection Criteria

Since the war began on February 28, Israeli and US strikes have killed dozens of officials and commanders, including Khamenei. Iranian media reported Tuesday that strikes flattened an auxiliary building of the Assembly of Experts in Qom, a strike the IDF confirmed and said it was awaiting information on the results of.

Heidari Alekasir said the candidate was selected based on the late supreme leader’s guidance that Iran’s top leader should “be hated by the enemy” rather than praised by them. He added that “Even the Great Satan (US) has mentioned his name,” referencing US President Donald Trump’s recent comments about Mojtaba Khamenei.

Trump warned that he would reject Mojtaba Khamenei as a successor and that he would want to be personally involved in selecting Iran’s next leader, according to Axios.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was not in Tehran when his father was killed. He has close ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and is considered a highly influential figure within the Iranian clerical establishment.

He has been a leading candidate to succeed his father for years, despite never holding a government position outside of his father’s office.

Ali Khamenei served as Iran’s supreme leader from 1989, having previously served as president for nearly eight years.

Mojtaba Khamenei faced criticism from protesters during unrest following the death of a young woman in police custody in 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic’s dress codes.

He is believed to have significant influence over Iran’s security apparatus, which has suppressed recent protests. He has also worked closely with Iran’s IRGC, which the US and EU have designated as a terrorist group.

The United States sanctioned Mojtaba Khamenei in 2019 for working to “advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.”