The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appointed three senior clerics as potential successors should he be killed, reports The New York Times, citing three Iranian officials familiar with the matter.
According to the Iranian constitution, if the Supreme Leader dies, the Assembly of Experts—a clerical body of 88 members—must select a successor. This process has only been used once since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Khamenei himself was chosen in 1989.
Khamenei reportedly wants to ensure a swift and orderly transition in the event of his death, The New York Times added, quoting officials.
After reportedly rejecting an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, U.S. President Donald Trump said this week that Iran’s Supreme Leader is an “easy target.”
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. “He is an easy target, but he is safe there — We won’t kill him!, at least not for now.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out targeting Khamenei, saying the death of the Supreme Leader would not “escalate the conflict, but end the conflict.”
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz went further, stating that Khamenei “cannot be allowed to continue to exist” after an Iranian missile struck a hospital in Israel.
Citing officials, The Times reported that senior Iranian officials are preparing for a wide range of outcomes should the war escalate, while Trump considers whether to intervene. The report added that the regime’s chain of command has been heavily impacted by Israeli strikes but still appears to be functioning.
