Who could succeed Mojtaba Khamenei? Iran's Supreme Leader's health reportedly worsens
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's health is reportedly deteriorating, with sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration claiming that concerns over his condition are growing
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's health is reportedly deteriorating, with sources close to President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration claiming that concerns over his condition are growing within the country's top leadership, UK-based IranWire reported. According to the IranWire report, citing two sources close to the Pezeshkian administration, Mojtaba Khamenei has not met any cabinet members since the February 28 US attack on the Supreme Leader's compound that killed his father and other family members. The sources said rumours that he is in an "extremely critical condition" and could die at any moment are circulating within the highest levels of the Iranian regime. One source close to Pezeshkian's cabinet told IranWire: "We would not be surprised if we heard news of his martyrdom soon." The claims and rumours surrounding Khamenei's health has been circulating for past several weeks as he has not made any public appearance or delivered any speech since becoming Supreme Leader. Only a handful of letters attributed to him have been published by Iranian state news agencies. Pezeshkian's reported meeting with Khamenei Questions over Mojtaba Khamenei's condition have also been raised by a separate report from Iran International, which claimed that Pezeshkian may have had only a brief and unusual interaction with the Supreme Leader.
According to the report, Pezeshkian was taken to a secret location in Tehran and met Khamenei inside a dark, tinted-windowed car. The president reportedly could not see the Supreme Leader and was not allowed by his guards to shake hands with him. The interaction allegedly lasted only a few minutes. Iran International further reported that Pezeshkian later asked whether the voice he had heard actually belonged to Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei suffered severe facial and leg injuries in the February 28 US-Israel attack, according to Reuters. Also Read | Iran President reportedly questioned if he met Khamenei after secret meeting What happens if Iran's Supreme Leader dies? Iran's Constitution provides a mechanism for dealing with a vacancy in the position of Supreme Leader. Under Article 111, if the Supreme Leader dies, resigns, is removed or becomes temporarily unable to perform his duties, a three-member council assumes his responsibilities until a new leader is appointed. According to an AP report, the council consists of the President, the head of the judiciary and a religious jurist from the Guardian Council, under the procedure specified by the Constitution. The arrangement is reportedly designed to ensure continuity in the exercise of the Supreme Leader's powers while the succession process takes place.
The BriefWire