Iran has postponed the announcement of its new supreme leader following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing that the new leader could become a target for elimination.
Khamenei, along with several senior military commanders and figures linked to the country’s defence establishment, was killed in an airstrike by Israel and the US.
As per Iranian officials, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56-year-old son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as a leading contender. However, concerns over his safety intensified after media reports began naming him as a possible successor.
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Speaking to Axios, Donald Trump said the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei would be unacceptable and dismissed him as “a lightweight.”
Meanwhile, Israel Katz, Israel’s defence minister, warned in a social media post that whoever is chosen to replace Ali Khamenei would become “an unequivocal target for elimination.”
If Mojtaba Khamenei is ultimately appointed as the country’s next supreme leader, analysts say it would signal the continuation of hard-line conservative leadership in Iran.
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A largely secretive but influential figure, Mojtaba Khamenei has long operated behind the scenes and is believed to maintain close ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).