‘Assassination threat’: Iran’s leader names three successors, excludes son

Amid rising fears of assassination, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has reportedly named three senior clerics as potential successors — deliberately excluding his influential son, Mojtaba Khamenei.

According to The New York Times, the 86-year-old leader, now operating from a fortified underground bunker, made the decision following a series of Israeli strikes that killed several top Iranian and Hezbollah figures.

The report, citing “senior Iranian officials,” said Khamenei acted in response to targeted assassinations believed to be orchestrated by Israel.

Significantly, the identities of the chosen clerics have not been disclosed. 

However, they are said to be loyal hardliners trusted by the regime’s inner circle.

“Khamenei has nominated three clerics as potential successors while hiding in a bunker… Mojtaba is not among them,” The New York Times reported, quoting confidential sources close to Tehran’s leadership.

This marks a clear break from long-standing speculation that Mojtaba Khamenei was being groomed for a dynastic transition.

Khamenei’s move reflects a shift in strategy amid internal and external pressures, The Jerusalem Post noted. 

It added that he has also selected replacements within the military command to prepare for further Israeli attacks that could eliminate his top aides.

Traditionally, the 88-member Assembly of Experts is responsible for choosing Iran’s next Supreme Leader.

But Khamenei’s recent actions suggest he is working to shape that outcome himself, sidestepping conventional protocols to ensure ideological continuity.

Analysts believe naming three candidates — instead of one — highlights both the urgency of the situation and the lack of consensus within Iran’s ruling elite.

While no names have been officially released, the clerics are reportedly aligned with the regime’s hardline faction.

The move is already generating concern across the Middle East, where tensions are running high after a wave of Israeli assassinations.

“Khamenei’s action signals a regime that sees the risk of decapitation as real,” a senior regional intelligence official told The New York Times. “It is succession planning not in theory — but under fire.”

The urgency follows a string of reported Israeli strikes since early June.

IRGC commanders Hossein Salami and Gholam Ali Rashid were allegedly killed.

A major Israeli strike on June 13 reportedly eliminated several senior military officials and nuclear scientists.

“General Hossein Salami has been killed in an Israeli strike.” — Reuters, June 17, 2025.

“At least 22 Mossad informants arrested after coordinated hits on IRGC targets.” — Tasnim News, June 18, 2025.

The killings and arrests have shaken Iran’s leadership and triggered fears of deeper instability.

For years, Mojtaba Khamenei was believed to be the favored successor.

But his omission signals a deliberate move away from a hereditary handover.

“Mojtaba’s exclusion is a message: no dynasty here.” — Times of India, June 21, 2025.

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“The three unnamed clerics reflect hardline continuity, not reformist compromise.” — New York Post, June 21, 2025.

Technically, the Assembly of Experts still has the final say on succession.

But Khamenei’s preemptive choices could heavily influence the process, especially if he dies while still in office.

“The Assembly of Experts may still have formal power, but Khamenei’s choices could shape succession beyond the grave.” — Financial Times, June 20, 2025.

“The Islamic Republic is preparing for a transition in the shadow of war.” — Punch Newspaper, June 21, 2025.

As the war with Israel intensifies, Iran’s leadership is preparing for a future without its long-standing Supreme Leader — and doing so under immense pressure.

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