As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran enters its second week, Iran's Assembly of Experts—the 88-member clerical body constitutionally tasked with selecting the Supreme Leader—has reportedly reached a majority consensus on a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at age 86 in the opening U.S.-Israeli missile strikes on February 28, 2026.
Iran’s state-linked Mehr News Agency reported that a decision has been made, though “some obstacles” remain before a public announcement. Assembly member Hojjatoleslam Jafari described the delay as “bitter and unwanted,” urging the public not to harbor negative thoughts about representatives during this crisis. Another member, Ayatollah Mohammad-Mahdi Mirbagheri, indicated the choice aligns with Khamenei’s prior guidance that the next leader should “be hated by the enemy” (referring to the U.S. and Israel) rather than praised by them. The body can reportedly convene remotely or under secure conditions due to security risks.
Khamenei’s death, confirmed by Iranian state media shortly after the strikes destroyed his Tehran compound, also claimed family members including his wife Zahra Adel, mother Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, and one son. The assassination marked a dramatic escalation, with joint U.S.-Israeli operations targeting high-level Iranian leadership using precise intelligence.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s 56-year-old second son, remains the leading candidate according to multiple reports from Western media (including The New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and CBS News) and analysts. Mojtaba, a hardline cleric with deep ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dating back to his service in the Iran-Iraq War, wields significant behind-the-scenes influence despite lacking formal government experience.
Experts like Christian Emery of University College London warn that appointing Mojtaba would spark controversy, as it risks reviving perceptions of hereditary rule—contradicting the 1979 Islamic Revolution’s rejection of monarchy (“no more Shahs”). Khamenei himself had previously warned against hereditary succession and was believed to have ruled out his son. However, Mojtaba’s IRGC connections could solidify and expand the Guards’ vast economic and political power base built under his father’s rule.
Other potential candidates include:
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Iran’s chief justice and a hardliner linked to protest crackdowns.
Hassan Khomeini, grandson of revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini, potentially offering a stabilizing bridge between reformist and conservative factions.
Alireza Arafi, a Guardian Council and Assembly member seen as a continuity choice unlikely to challenge IRGC dominance.
The process, usually prepared in advance (as when Khamenei was approved in just 24 hours after Khomeini’s 1989 death), faces complications from the war. Convening the Assembly risks further strikes, with Israel explicitly warning it will target “every successor” to Khamenei and anyone involved in the appointment process, as stated in IDF posts on X in Farsi.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz previously declared the next Supreme Leader an “unequivocal target for elimination.” U.S. President Donald Trump has called Mojtaba Khamenei “unacceptable” and suggested involvement in the selection, heightening tensions.
Iran has had only two Supreme Leaders since the 1979 Revolution: Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989) and Ali Khamenei (1989–2026). The ongoing conflict has already prompted massive Iranian retaliatory missile and drone strikes on Gulf states and Israel, raising fears of broader regional instability as Tehran navigates this unprecedented leadership transition under fire. No official name has been announced as of March 8, 2026, but expectations point to an imminent revelation.
