Debate over Iran’s new supreme leader: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died. His death leaves Iran without its top leader right as tensions over its nuclear program boil over.
The US and Israel are hitting key military and government sites, so Iran is under attack, and now it’s missing its most powerful figure. The big question: who steps in to lead the Islamic Republic?
Inside Iran’s High-Stakes Succession Battle
A lot of people are talking about Hassan Khomeini. He’s 53, the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who basically created the modern Iranian state. Hassan’s never held government office, but his family ties put him right in the spotlight when it comes to succession.
There are a few other names in the mix, too. Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s son, has been prepped for this role for years. Ali Asghar Hejazi runs security operations, and Mohammad Golpayegani, the chief of staff, knows the regime inside out.
Can Hassan Khomeini Emerge as Iran’s Moderate Choice?
Choosing the next leader falls to the Assembly of Experts, and with the political chaos right now, they have their work cut out for them.
Hassan Khomeini stands out among the Ayatollah’s 15 grandchildren. He looks after his grandfather’s mausoleum in southern Tehran and is seen as a moderate.
He’s close with reformist politicians like former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, both of whom pushed for better relations with the West.
Iran at a Crossroads: Reformists, Hardliners Clash Over Succession
Inside Iran, people see Hassan as a possible balance against the hardliners, especially Mojtaba Khamenei. That matters because the unrest earlier this year led people to demand a leader who isn’t so rigid. Right now, Iran’s future is wide open.
Khomeini has not been afraid of criticising the system. In 2021, he came out publicly to protest against the ban of reformist candidates to the presidential elections. You can not choose somebody on behalf of me and say, vote him! he said at the time.
He demanded responsibility following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022. The government should openly and accurately explain what has happened to this 22-year-old girl in the name of guidance and education, he said.
But he knew how to draw the line. In various anti-regime rallies, he criticized people who were chanting against Khamenei saying that rioters were serving Israel. And with the death of Khamenei Khomeini wrote that the late leader, would live on to be the hero of the people of Iran and Muslims.
The great people of Iran will once again briskly follow the way of the Imam (Khomeini) by defeating this incident.
Even his own friends have termed him progressive theologian particularly on matters of music, women rights and social liberties. He adheres to the trends of social media and practices Western philosophy and Islamic scholarship. He has four children, his wife, Sayyeda Fatima, is the daughter of an Ayatollah.
