The Assembly of Experts, the religious body tasked with appointing Iran's Supreme Leader, has reportedly reached a majority consensus on the successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was recently assassinated in US and Israeli airstrikes. This information was revealed on Sunday by Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, a member of the Assembly.
According to the Iranian news agency Mehr, Mirbaqeri indicated that the assembly had broadly agreed on a candidate, although "some obstacles" remained in the nomination process. The Assembly of Experts, composed of 88 religious figures, is responsible for appointing the supreme leader who holds ultimate authority over the country's political, military, and religious institutions.
A high-ranking religious figure had already stated on Saturday that members of the assembly could meet that day to decide on the succession. Discussions are focusing in particular on how to finalize the decision, with some members believing a formal in-person meeting is necessary, while others are considering remote validation.
According to several Iranian media outlets, two influential members of the assembly, Ayatollahs Mohsen Heidari Alekasir and Ahmad Alamolhoda, have already stated that a successor has been chosen. The official announcement is expected to be made by the head of the assembly's secretariat, Ayatollah Hashem Hosseini Bushehri.
At the same time, the question of foreign influence in this process is being raised in Iranian religious circles. Some officials claim that US hostility toward the future leader has played a role in internal discussions.
Le président américain Donald Trump He recently stated that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader, could be a likely successor, while also calling it "unacceptable." These statements illustrate the intense geopolitical tensions surrounding the succession at the head of the Islamic Republic within the context of a broader regional conflict.
