Typos

Potential Successors to Iran's Supreme Leader

Published March 1, 2026, 09:16
Potential Successors to Iran's Supreme Leader

Following reports of the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the question of his successor has come to the forefront. The Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 high-ranking clerics, will be responsible for selecting the new leader. Among the potential successors are Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the deceased, Alireza Arafi, a close associate of Khamenei, Mohammad Mirbagheri, a hardline cleric, Hassan Khomeini, grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, and Hashem Busheri, a high-ranking cleric with close ties to the institutions managing the succession. Each candidate has their own advantages and disadvantages, and the selection will be determined by the balance of power within the Iranian establishment. Succession from father to son is considered unlikely, while influence within the security apparatus and relationships with security services are significant factors.