Iran Chooses New Supreme Leader

Iran’s powerful clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader says it has reached a decision on who will succeed the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though the chosen name has not yet been publicly announced.

Members of the Assembly of Experts confirmed on Sunday that the vote to appoint Iran’s next supreme leader has already taken place. Ahmad Alamolhoda, a member of the assembly, revealed that the process had concluded and that the secretariat would soon release the name of the selected leader.

“The vote to appoint the leader has taken place and the leader has been chosen,” Alamolhoda said, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency. He added that the official announcement would come later from the body’s secretariat.

The Assembly of Experts, composed of senior clerics, holds constitutional authority to appoint and oversee the supreme leader — the highest political and religious authority in Iran, with the final say over all matters of state, including military, political, and judicial decisions.

Although the official identity of the new leader has not yet been disclosed, speculation is mounting that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could assume the role. Mojtaba has long been mentioned as a possible successor to his father, who has ruled Iran as the supreme leader since 1989.

Mohsen Heydari, another member of the selection body representing Khuzestan province, confirmed that the assembly had reached a consensus.

“The most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined,” Heydari told Iran’s ISNA news agency.

Heydari also referenced comments from the United States, saying the “Great Satan” had already mentioned the name of the chosen candidate, using Iran’s long-standing political term for Washington.

U.S. President Donald Trump has insisted he should play a role in determining Iran’s next leader and has dismissed the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei taking the position, calling him a “lightweight.” Iranian officials, however, have strongly rejected any suggestion that Washington could influence the decision.

Another assembly member, Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, confirmed that a final decision had been reached. In a video published by Iran’s Fars news agency, he said: “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached.”

The leadership transition follows the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 during U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran — an event that triggered a broader conflict across the Middle East.

Tensions surrounding the succession have intensified further, with the Israeli military issuing a warning on social media directed at members of the Assembly of Experts. In a post written in Farsi on X, Israel said it would closely monitor the process and warned that it would not hesitate to target those involved in selecting the next leader.

Despite the threats and the volatile regional environment, Mirbagheri said the clerical body remains determined to complete its task.

He said that members were proceeding carefully, acknowledging that “the current circumstances are difficult and obstacles remain,” but emphasised that the process of choosing Iran’s next supreme leader would continue with precision.