Iran’s Assembly of Experts announces it has selected a successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the new supreme leader, though the identity remains undisclosed. Conflicting messages from the regime suggest uncertainty about the process’s completion.
Assembly Members Confirm Majority Decision
Several Assembly of Experts members stated on Sunday that a majority has approved the most suitable candidate. Member Mohsen Heydari declared, “the most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined.”
Fellow member Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri added, “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached.” Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Alam al-Huda provided the strongest confirmation, stating to Mehr news agency that elections have concluded and a successor installed. “All the rumors and news that tried to pretend that the Assembly of Experts has not yet made a decision are pure lies,” al-Huda asserted.
Earlier, two senior clerics urged a swift appointment, warning that a temporary three-man council could undermine stability.
Mojtaba Khamenei Emerges as Frontrunner
Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late supreme leader, leads as the likely choice. Reports indicate Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders pressured members to support him during an online first session, which some described as “unnatural.” Eight members pledged to boycott a potential second round. Iranian officials deny these claims.
International Reactions
U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the prospective appointment. “Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela,” Trump stated. He added, “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
Israel issued a stern warning via a Farsi-language post on X from the Israel Defense Forces account. The message reads: “After neutralizing the tyrant Khamenei, the terrorist regime of Iran tries to rebuild itself and select a new leader. Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which hasn’t convened for decades, will soon gather in Qom. The hand of Israel pursues every successor and everyone seeking to appoint one.”
