According to reports from several media outlets, including the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), on April 4th, Iran has identified several candidates for Supreme Leader and is about to elect one.
The reports quoted Ahmed Khatami, a member of the Council of Experts, as saying that Iran will elect its Supreme Leader “as soon as possible.” Khatami stated that Iran is currently “at war,” and the Supreme Leader will not be elected as quickly as last time.
Mojtaba Hosseini, another member of the Council of Experts, said that the Council must hold a meeting to vote, and a candidate must receive at least two-thirds of the votes to be elected Supreme Leader.
According to sources, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is safe. He is widely considered a potential successor to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei is Khamenei’s second son. Although he does not hold an official position, he wields considerable influence. He was a senior aide to his father and is reportedly closely associated with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Following Khamenei’s assassination, Mojtaba was considered one of the potential successors to the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Iran was scheduled to hold a farewell ceremony for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on the evening of March 4, which was to last for three days. However, Iranian media reported on March 4 that the ceremony, originally scheduled to begin that evening, had been postponed, with new arrangements to be announced later. The report stated that the postponement was due to “an unprecedentedly large number of people expected to come to pay their respects.”
