Iran is reportedly considering Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second son of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as his successor. Analysts say the potential succession of the hardliner could derail U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy to install a reformist government in Tehran, raising prospects of a prolonged conflict as both sides signal readiness for extended warfare.
The New York Times reported on June 3 (local time), citing Iranian officials, that the Assembly of Experts—the constitutional body responsible for selecting the supreme leader—held a video conference that day, with Mojtaba emerging as the leading candidate. Some Iranian opposition media outlets reported he has already been selected.
The Assembly of Experts has not officially announced Mojtaba's selection. Some clerics are reportedly concerned that such an announcement could make him a target for the United States and Israel.
Mojtaba is classified as a hardliner with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and military-intelligence apparatus. Known as his father's "shadow insider," he has reportedly managed Iran's power structure by intervening in presidential elections since 2005 and led crackdowns on anti-government protests. Vali Nasr, an Iran expert at Johns Hopkins University, told the NYT that this signals "the much more hardline IRGC faction has taken control within the regime." Analysts say this diminishes the likelihood of Iran's early surrender.
Some observers note that U.S. and Israeli attacks may have inadvertently accelerated Mojtaba's succession. As a mid-ranking cleric teaching Shia theology at a seminary in the religious center of Qom, Mojtaba has faced concerns about lacking sufficient religious standing to lead the theocratic state. However, successive attacks that killed other potential successors have elevated his influence. Continued public sympathy for Khamenei also bolsters his position. AFP reported on June 4 that Khamenei's funeral, scheduled for 10 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. KST on June 5), was postponed due to unprecedented crowds expected to attend.
On the fifth day of the conflict, both sides remain locked in confrontation. U.S. Central Command said it has struck more than 2,000 targets since launching "Operation Epic Fury" on May 28. The Israeli military said it struck the Assembly of Experts facility in Qom, south of Tehran, and "Minjadehe," an underground nuclear facility suspected of secretly developing key nuclear weapon components. On June 4, Israel announced its F-35I jets shot down an Iranian manned aircraft over Tehran airspace—the first confirmed air-to-air kill by an F-35 against a manned military aircraft. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a press briefing: "The United States is winning decisively, destructively, and without mercy. Only four days since the operation began, the results are stunning. They are finished."
Iran is fighting back. The IRGC warned through Iranian state television on June 4 that it is "ready to completely destroy military and economic infrastructure in the region." Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that Iranian air defense units shot down three U.S. F-15 fighter jets. The IRGC said it struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, with ballistic missiles. It also claimed "more than 10 tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz caught fire from various missile attacks."
Civilian casualties are mounting rapidly. U.S.-based Human Rights Activists reported that 1,097 civilians have died since the conflict began, with at least 104 attacks on Iran in the past 24 hours. This represents an increase of approximately 350 from the 742 deaths the outlet reported on June 2.