Iran is reportedly considering selecting Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, as his successor.
The New York Times reported on Saturday, citing Iranian officials, that the Assembly of Experts—the constitutional body responsible for choosing the supreme leader—convened a meeting that day to deliberate on the matter. Sources indicate the Assembly is considering officially announcing Mojtaba as successor on Sunday. Iran International, an opposition media outlet, reported that Mojtaba has already been selected as the next leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's second son, is considered a hardliner like his father. He has publicly supported cracking down on anti-government forces and taking a tough stance against external adversaries. Mojtaba teaches Shia theology at a seminary in Qom, Iran's religious center. While he has never held an official government position, he reportedly wields considerable behind-the-scenes influence through close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
In 2019, U.S. authorities imposed sanctions on Mojtaba alongside his father, stating he "serves in a role on behalf of the Supreme Leader, working closely with the IRGC Quds Force and Basij commanders to advance his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives."
However, some observers express concern that an official succession announcement could make him a target for the United States and Israel.
Under Iran's constitution, the supreme leader is elected by the Assembly of Experts, comprising 88 Islamic clerics. As head of the theocratic state, Iran's supreme leader holds ultimate authority over the military, judiciary, and major state institutions.