Khamenei names possible successors amid Israel-Iran conflict: Report

With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not ruling out the possibility of his military targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and as the Israeli Air Force continues to pound targets, including nuclear facilities, across Iran, Khamenei has reportedly proposed the names of three clerics as his successor to the country’s Assembly of Experts tasked with selecting the new Supreme Leader.

Khamenei proposes three names

The New York Times, in a report, cited three anonymous Iranian officials stating that Khamenei has also started appointing replacements for top Iranian military commanders who were killed in Israeli strikes.

It further states that, contrary to earlier reports, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, who was reportedly groomed for the role, did not feature in the list provided by him.

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Aware of assassination attempts

The 86-year-old Supreme Leader of Iran is aware of the possibility of assassination attempts by Israel and the US and would consider it as “martyrdom” if such attempts succeeded, the report quoted senior Iranian officials as saying.

Usually, the selection of Iran’s Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body, takes months and comprises elaborate discussions. But due to the war-like situation Iran is currently facing, senior Iranian officials told the New York Times that Khamenei wants to hasten the process so as to ensure a quicker transition.

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What Netanyahu said

The development comes at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had recently said that although Israel’s strikes on Iran is not aimed at a regime change in the Islamic Republic but it might turn out to be a reason for it. When asked whether his military would target Khamenei, Netanyahu was quoted in media reports as saying that “no one is immune”.

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Trump’s comment

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had also said that the US is aware of Khamenei’s whereabouts, but as of now, it has no plans to eliminate him.

However, the Israel-Iran conflict seems to be far from over as both sides continue to exchange airstrikes and threats. The diplomatic talks in Geneva between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his European Union Counterparts also did not result in a breakthrough. Araghchi has made it clear that there will be no negotiations with Israel until it stops attacking Iran.