Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shortlisted three high-ranking clerics to succeed him while taking refuge in a safe bunker, in growing fear of an Israeli assassination attempt, it is reported.
His son Mojtaba Khamenei, who had long been seen as a likely heir, has been left out, it is reported, by The New York Times.
Referring to three Iranian officials privy to the matter, the report had said that Khamenei, 86, has also started appointing successors for top-ranking military commanders recently killed in Israeli attacks. These moves are in a backdrop where Iran-Israel tensions keep mounting.
Khamenei, as reported by Iranian sources, feels that any attempt by Israel or the United States to assassinate him would be a martyring act. Still, officials reported that he is keen on ensuring a smooth and quick succession process in the event of his untimely death.
According to The New York Times, the Supreme Leader has made the unprecedented move of directing the Assembly of Experts — the clerical organization in charge of electing Iran's next Supreme Leader — to expedite the process and select one of three clerics that he has personally backed.
Normally, choosing a new Supreme Leader takes months of consideration and a wide slate of aspirants. But with the wartime atmosphere now and the growing threats, Khamenei is said to prefer a rapid succession to ensure the continuity of the Islamic Republic and lock in his legacy.
"The highest priority is the survival of the state," Johns Hopkins University professor and Iran expert Vali Nasr, quoted in the report, said. "It is all pragmatic and calculative."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fanned the speculation on Thursday by stating that while Israel's prime objective continues to be neutralizing Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities, there could be attempts to bring about regime change in Tehran.
When asked directly if this policy might involve targeting Iran's Supreme Leader, Netanyahu said, "no one is immune."
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