Ayatollah Khamenei appoints three potential successors
As reported by the New York Times, after the Israeli raids on Tehran, Iran's supreme leader cut off digital contacts and prepared his succession. The country is on high alert, especially after the US attack on nuclear sites
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3' min read
3' min read
At one of the most critical times since the birth of the Islamic Republic, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has taken extraordinary measures to protect himself and ensure the survival of the regime. For days now he has been hiding in a bunker, has suspended electronic communication with his commanders and only transmits orders via a trusted aide. The decision comes after surprise attacks by Israel, the most violent ever suffered by Iran since the war against Iraq in the 1980s.
According to Iranian sources close to the contingency plans heard by the New York Times, Khamenei has already designated three senior clerics as potential successors should he be killed. He has also prepared a chain of replacements in the top military leadership in response to the elimination of numerous senior officers, some shot in their flats, others during operational meetings. No one is safe, not even the top leadership.
The climate in the capital is tense. Tehran has been hit with devastating intensity: energy infrastructure, military bases, nuclear facilities and even civilian residences have been targeted by missiles. The authorities report hundreds of dead and thousands injured. But the emergency also extends to the internal plane:intelligence fears Israeli infiltration on Iranian soil. For this reason, the Ministry of Information has imposed strict security measures, forcing officials and commanders to stay underground and banning the use of mobile phones and connected devices.
The stricken and frightened population is reacting with a wave of solidarity. In Tehran, hotels and function halls have turned into free shelters, psychologists are offering online therapy and bakeries are spontaneously rationing bread supplies to help those in need. On social media, even figures critical of the regime - artists, athletes, activists - express an unprecedented sense of national unity.
Khamenei, 86, issued two recorded public messages in which he reiterated that Iran 'will not surrender to an imposed war'. But in the meantime, he asked the Assembly of Experts to prepare for an immediate transition in the event of his death. Of his son Mojtaba, often mentioned as a possible heir, there is no trace among the candidates mentioned. And former President Raisi, once considered a possible candidate, passed away in 2024.
