Iran’s Khamenei Names Potential Successors Amid Israel Assassination Threats — Son Not Included

In light of an uncertain future, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has recently named three senior clerics as possible successors in a first move since the Iran-Israel war began, demonstrating he may be embracing the end of his thirty-plus-year reign.

According to the New York Times, Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, who also is a cleric and long rumored to be a leader-in-waiting, was not included on the list of actual successors. Khamenei's former hardline president, Ebrahim Raisi, was once deemed to be a strong contender for the succession, but this prospect ended with his death in a helicopter crash in 2024.

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Moreover, the article stated, and cited Iranian officials, that Khomenei has retreated to a secure underground bunker and suspended all electronic communications in exchange for communication only through a trusted aide to pass any messages to military commanders. The emergency plans enacted suggest tremendous anxiety about assassination after the recent deaths of several senior IRGC officials killed in Israeli air strikes.

Historically, Mojtaba has been considered a somewhat opaque figure with immense behind-the-scenes power, and he has been widely considered to have been groomed to be the eventual successor; therefore, his absence may not only indicate he obviously is not the preferred choice but also a conscious refusal of dynasty succession.

It might be an attempt to maintain the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic by suggesting a commitment to its religious, institutional nature rather than merely handing off power through a family succession process.

Khamenei is attempting to do to ensure transition by already appointing successors while also reorganizing key positions, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could be the start of continuity planning in case there is more instability or even in an instance of his rapid demise.

This is a valuable signal of the precarious situation at the top of Iran's leadership hierarchy – while Iran is dealing with external military pressure, there is also the internal uncertainty of the country's political future.

Khamenei's fears are not unfounded. The United States and Israel made it clear at several points over the past week that both would consider targeting the Supreme Leader.

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While the United States has not formally joined the Iran-Israel crisis, Donald Trump made it clear that he's not happy with Khamenei and stated clearly that the States wouldn't "kill" him, "not now at least".

"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," he had said earlier this week. Trump had also demanded unconditional surrender.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had pushed even further, saying the country isn't taking targeting Khomenei off the table. Speaking to ABC news, Netanyahu said "doing what we need to do" when asked if Israel would target the Gaurdian Supreme Leader.

Khomenei has not directly addressed these threats, but has expressed that Iran would not "take anyone's attack lying down".

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