With war fears rising between the United States and Iran, the attention has shifted from battle plans to what might happen next inside Iran’s leadership. Reports say Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who is now 86 years old, may be staying in a fortified bunker in Tehran as tensions surge. This has sparked talk about who could take over if he is killed or forced out. Previously Abolhassan Mahdavi, Imam of Isfahan and insiders have named three leading candidates who could become Iran’s next supreme leader.
The speculation grew louder as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group and other US Navy warships moved into waters near Iran this month. Many officials warn this deployment could be a prelude to conflict or airstrikes, which in turn raised questions about Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s safety and future. There are speculations that Khamenei “has reportedly designated a successor should bombs begin falling overhead.”
Who Could be Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s successor?
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the powerful clerical body that chooses the supreme leader, has three main candidates on its list. These men are seen as the most likely to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei if he can no longer lead.
1. Mojtaba Khamenei
The first and most talked-about name is Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the current supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Political analysts say he has been groomed for leadership with his father’s approval and has been influential in policy decisions for nearly three decades. “Mojtaba has reportedly been groomed for leadership with his father’s approval,” Morad Vaisi from Iran International wrote, noting how closely he has worked behind the scenes.
2. Alireza Arafi
Another contender is Alireza Arafi, a cleric seen as a trusted confidant of Khamenei. Arafi holds several powerful religious and political roles, such as deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts and a member of the Guardian Council. Veisi said that Arafi’s “position within the power structure enhances his chances of being chosen.”
3. Hashem Hosseini Bushehri
The third possible successor is Hashem Hosseini Bushehri, he is the head of the Qom Seminary Society, and Friday prayer leader in Qom. Iran International reported that those relationships could help him secure the Assembly’s vote, “his close ties to Khamenei and key leadership roles increase his prospects.”
