Amid speculations of Ali Khamenei's "poor health", Iran secretly elect this man as his successor: Reports

The ongoing confrontation with Israel is proving tough for Iran as the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei is reported to be seriously ill.

However, reports suggest that Khamenei’s second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been chosen to lead the country. He could take over even before his father’s death.

The news by ‘Iran International’ comes just weeks after The New York Times reported about Ali Khamenei being chosen as Iran’s supreme leader. Ali Khamenei is 85, and he has not keeping well for some time now.

An Iran International report claimed that a surprise meeting was convened on 26 September. It had 60 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts and the meeting was called on Ali Khamenei’s orders. The Assembly members were asked to “immediately” decide on his successor.

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“Despite initial opposition to both the decision and the process, the Assembly ultimately reached a unanimous agreement to designate Mojtaba as the successor following the leader’s and his representatives’ insistence, which allegedly included direct threats,” said the report.

After the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, the succession process was relatively un-resisted. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who could unite centre, right and left-wing officials, was the kingmaker, according to Iran International.

There is no one like Rafsanjani in the power centre currently and many close to Khamenei’s power centre are even disliked by the Iranian people.

Khamenei had been groomed as Khomeini’s successor and was President before becoming the Supreme Leader of Iran.

While Ebrahim Raisi had been groomed for the job, his death in a helicopter crash in Azerbaijan on May 19, 2024, further complicated the matter of succession in Iran.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was born in 1969 in Mashhad in northeastern Iran. He studied theology, under the patronage of his father and other prominent scholars. He continues to teach theology at the Qom Seminary, the largest Islamic seminary in Iran, even today.

Mojtaba Khamenei supported Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during Iran’s 2005 and 2009 elections and was reportedly involved in securing Ahmadinejad’s 2009 victory.

Ahmadinejad’s win was followed by protests in June 2009, with Mojtaba allegedly playing a significant role in leading efforts to suppress the anti-government demonstrations.