Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP
| Published June 22, 2025
As Iran braces for possible escalation in the Middle East, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has quietly designated three potential successors—excluding his own son—in a move signaling both deep internal concern and strategic foresight. The revelation, reported by multiple outlets on June 21, 2025, comes amid intensifying threats to Khamenei’s life and growing instability across the region. His decision not only breaks precedent but also underscores the urgency with which Iran’s leadership is preparing for a future without its long-serving ruler.
🕌 Ayatollah Khamenei Names Three Successors
-
Unprecedented move amid rising conflict: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has quietly selected three senior clerics as potential successors should he be assassinated or killed during the escalating Israel–Iran confrontations
-
Security precautions: He’s reportedly been staying in a deep bunker, forbidden the use of electronic devices around him, and now communicates only through a trusted aide to avoid detection
❌ Khamenei’s Son Excluded
-
Mojtaba Khamenei, long rumored to be groomed as a successor and closely aligned with the IRGC, was not included in the list of successor candidates
-
This suggests a deliberate move away from dynastic succession, emphasizing an ideological or security-driven choice rather than hereditary continuity
📜 Political & Strategic Context
-
This appears to be the first such move since 1979, where the Supreme Leader is preemptively shaping a successor pool—highlighting both the urgency of the current security situation and potential instability within Iran’s elite
-
Technically, the Assembly of Experts (a body of 88 clerics) retains the constitutional authority to elect the next Supreme Leader, but Khamenei’s pre-selection can significantly influence their decision
🔍 Opportunities
1. Ensures Leadership Continuity
By preemptively selecting successors, Khamenei reduces the risk of a power vacuum in the event of his sudden death—especially during wartime. This could help preserve regime stability.
2. Strengthens Institutional Legitimacy
By bypassing his son, Khamenei sends a message against dynastic rule, reinforcing the Islamic Republic’s image as a clerical-based system, not a monarchy-in-disguise.
3. Gives Assembly of Experts a Guiding Framework
Though the Assembly is constitutionally responsible for electing the next Supreme Leader, Khamenei’s shortlist could guide or influence their final decision, reducing internal friction.
4. Signals Strength to Foreign Adversaries
By showcasing preparedness for leadership transition, Iran may signal to Israel and the U.S. that the regime will endure regardless of assassination attempts.
⚠️ Risks
1. Reveals Internal Instability
The very act of naming successors—especially in secrecy—exposes the regime’s fear of decapitation strikes and could embolden adversaries sensing weakness.
2. Potential for Factional Infighting
Even with pre-named candidates, rival factions within the clerical elite or the IRGC may reject Khamenei’s picks, leading to a divisive power struggle after his death.
3. Undermines Public Confidence
If leaked or mismanaged, the move may create panic or uncertainty among Iranians, especially amid economic hardship and international pressure.
4. Legitimacy Challenge to Assembly of Experts
Some may view Khamenei’s interference as undermining the Assembly’s independence, potentially causing procedural disputes or backlash from clerics seeking autonomy.
Bottom Line
Ayatollah Khamenei’s decision to name three potential successors marks a rare and revealing moment in Iran’s theocratic history. It underscores the regime’s acute awareness of rising external threats and internal vulnerabilities, while signaling a calculated attempt to safeguard ideological continuity beyond his rule. By excluding his son, Khamenei appears to prioritize clerical legitimacy over dynastic loyalty—an unusual but strategic choice. Still, the move introduces new questions about Iran’s future leadership and the potential for factional rivalries to surface in a post-Khamenei era.
SOURCES: REDSTATE – Ayatollah Picks 3 Successors in Case He Is Forcibly Removed From the Earth. His Son Is Not on the List.
THE NEW YORK POST – Iran’s Supreme Leader picks ‘3 stooges’ to replace him as fear of assassination surges: report
