Overview
- Multiple international outlets reported the Assembly of Experts has chosen or is poised to choose Mojtaba Khamenei, while Iranian authorities have issued no formal confirmation.
- Iran’s consulate in Mumbai publicly denied that a successor has been selected, matching IRGC guidance that the process could take about a week and may follow funeral rites.
- Officials told The New York Times the Assembly held two virtual sessions on Tuesday and considered delaying an announcement after an Israeli strike hit a planned meeting site in Qom.
- Sources described strong IRGC backing for Mojtaba, a 56-year-old cleric sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 and long tied to the Guard’s security and political networks.
- Israel’s defense minister warned any new Iranian leader would be a target for elimination as three days of public farewell ceremonies for Ali Khamenei begin in Tehran.