Iranian supreme leader picks potential successors in case he is assassinated

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly identified three senior clerics as potential successors, according to Israeli media reports, amid rising tensions and escalating Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.

The move is said to be aimed at ensuring a swift and orderly transition of power in the event of Khamenei’s death. Under Iran’s constitution, the responsibility of selecting the next Supreme Leader rests with the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body.

The process has only been invoked once—when Khamenei himself was appointed in 1989 following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Citing unnamed Iranian officials familiar with the matter, the report suggests that Iran’s leadership is actively preparing for various scenarios, including potential assassination attempts or broader escalation of the conflict.

The development comes just days after former U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, calling Khamenei an “easy target,” while adding, “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”

Meanwhile, Israeli leadership has been far more explicit in its threats. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that eliminating Khamenei would “end the conflict,” not escalate it, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz went further, insisting that “Khamenei cannot be allowed to continue to exist” following Iran’s recent missile strike on an Israeli military site reportedly near a hospital.

While Iran has suffered the loss of several senior military officials in recent Israeli strikes, reports indicate that the core command structure of the Iranian leadership remains intact.

Preparations for leadership succession highlight the growing volatility of the conflict, as Iranian leaders brace for further escalation, including possible intervention by the United States.