Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has quietly chosen three possible successors as the country faces the risk of leadership loss during Israel’s ongoing military strikes.
According to a report by The New York Times on Saturday, Khamenei made this secret decision from a protected bunker, following the killing of top Iranian commanders by Israeli forces in recent weeks. The move signals a serious concern about his safety and the future of the Islamic Republic’s leadership.
“Khamenei has nominated three clerics as potential successors while hiding in a bunker… Mojtaba is not among them,” the report stated, quoting unnamed Iranian officials.
Khamenei’s decision is especially surprising because he left out his powerful son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who many believed was being prepared to take over. This suggests the leader may be rejecting a family-based handover and instead choosing loyal clerics who share the regime’s hardline views.
A separate report from The Jerusalem Post confirmed the story, adding that Khamenei had also picked replacements for top military commanders in case Israeli attacks continue.
“Iran is acting under the assumption that decapitation strikes are imminent,” The Jerusalem Post reported.
Leadership Planning Under Threat
Usually, Iran’s next Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts — a group of 88 clerics. However, Khamenei’s private selections seem to be an effort to guide the process and prevent divisions if he dies unexpectedly.
Analysts believe choosing three clerics instead of one shows that Iran’s leadership may not agree on a single name, and that there is pressure to prepare quickly.
“Khamenei’s action signals a regime that sees the risk of decapitation as real. It is succession planning not in theory — but under fire,” said a senior regional intelligence official quoted in The New York Times.
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Strikes Spark Urgency
Khamenei’s decision comes after several top Iranian figures were killed. General Hossein Salami and General Gholam Ali Rashid of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes. An attack on June 13 also killed senior nuclear scientists and military officers.
“General Hossein Salami has been killed in an Israeli strike,” Reuters reported on June 17.
Meanwhile, Iran arrested 22 alleged Mossad informants after the killings, according to Tasnim News.
No Dynasty, Just Loyalty
By leaving out his son, Khamenei appears to be rejecting any form of dynastic leadership, a move praised by hardliners who favor strict ideological loyalty over family ties.
“Mojtaba’s exclusion is a message: no dynasty here,” Times of India reported on June 21.
“The three unnamed clerics reflect hardline continuity, not reformist compromise,” New York Post added.
What Comes Next
Although the Assembly of Experts still holds the official power to select the next Supreme Leader, Khamenei’s influence may guide their decision, especially during this tense time.
“The Islamic Republic is preparing for a transition in the shadow of war,” Punch Newspaper wrote on June 21.
For now, Iran’s leadership is focused on staying in control amid attacks and growing pressure. As Khamenei plans for what could happen after him, the world is watching closely.