Mon Nov 18 11:14:14 UTC 2024: **Iran Announces Shortlist for Supreme Leader’s Successor Amidst Health Concerns**
Tehran, November 18, 2024 – Iran’s Assembly of Experts has announced the creation of a shortlist of three candidates to succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amidst swirling speculation regarding his health. While the names of the candidates remain undisclosed, the announcement was made Friday by Assembly member Abolhassan Mahdavi during prayers, a time of heightened tension given the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Reports in Iranian media, including Iran International, suggest that Khamenei himself urged the Assembly to be prepared to swiftly appoint a successor if necessary. These reports also indicate that Khamenei expressed concerns about potential threats to his safety from Israel.
The announcement fueled existing rumors about Khamenei’s health, with some reports claiming he is unconscious. However, a photo posted to Khamenei’s X account on Monday morning shows him meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, seemingly countering these reports.
Among the names circulating as potential successors is Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been involved in Iran’s policymaking for 27 years. Other potential candidates include Alireza Arafi, a member of the Guardian Council and second deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, and Hashim Hosseini Bushehri, the Assembly’s first deputy chairman. While the grandsons of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali and Hassan Khomeini, have also been mentioned, their lack of membership in the Assembly makes their candidacy less likely. The Assembly of Experts is responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader.
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