Who'll Succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Uncertainty In Iran After Supremo's Assassination Report In US-Israel Strike

Tehran: Amid reports of the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following the US-Israel airstrikes, global attention has shifted to who will succeed him. This comes after his residence was attacked in the ongoing US-Israel strikes on Saturday. Several sources, as well as Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, have pointed that there are signs that the 86-year-old is no longer alive. Here is the list of probable contenders who may succeed him:

1. Hojjat-ol-Eslam Mohsen Qomi- He is viewed as a trusted insider with close links to Khamenei
2. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi- He holds influential roles within the Assembly of Experts, Iran’s seminary establishment and the Guardian Council
3. Ayatollah Mohsen Araki- He has long-standing experience within the Assembly of Experts and retains support among conservative factions.
4. Ayatollah Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei- He is currently judiciary chief with a background in intelligence. He also has strong ties with political elites.
5. Ayatollah Hashem Hosseini Bushehri- He is a senior cleric based in Qom and is the First Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of Experts.

As per Iran’s constitution, the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body of senior clerics, is responsible for appointing and overseeing the supreme leader. If the position becomes vacant due to death or incapacity, the assembly convenes to select a replacement.

There is no automatic successor and no public campaign process. Deliberations are conducted internally and candidates must possess strong religious credentials as well as political backing within Iran’s clerical and power networks.

Attack On Khamenei's Residence

Khamenei's residence was attacked earlier in the day. A satellite image showed extensive damage to his secure compound. The image, taken by Airbus, showed a thick plume of black smoke emanating from the Iranian leader's compound following the attack. Further, Khamenei's residence seems to have purportedly collapsed after the bombing.

‘Khamenei Is Dead’: Trump

After the attack, Iranian officials had maintained that Khamenei was alive. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi had stated that “as far as” he knew, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was still alive.

However, the claims have now been challenged as sources have stated that Khamenei has been assassinated. US President Donald Trump has also claimed that Khamenei is dead. In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump said, “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead.”

Trump called the assassination of Khamenei a “justice for the people of Iran” and for all Americans and those people from countries, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his “gang of bloodthirsty thugs”. 

Also Read- 'Signs That Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Is Dead': Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu