Who will be the successor of Iran’s Ali Khamenei?

TEHRAN: Iran’s constitution requires that a new supreme leader be appointed by the Assembly of Experts, the same clerical body that selected Ali Khamenei in 1989.

The Assembly consists of 88 clerics elected for eight-year terms. Candidates for the body must first be approved by the Guardian Council, which vets hopefuls and determines who is eligible to run. As a result, the current Assembly is largely composed of clerics aligned with the Islamic Republic’s leadership structure.

Under constitutional provisions, the Assembly of Experts is mandated to select a successor as soon as possible following the death of a sitting supreme leader. The body has the authority to deliberate and appoint a new leader based on criteria that include religious scholarship, political acumen and commitment to the Islamic Republic’s principles.

However, convening all 88 members may present logistical and security challenges, particularly if the country remains under external military pressure. No official timeline has yet been announced for when the Assembly will meet.

In the interim, executive authority would typically transfer to a temporary leadership council. This body would comprise the president, the head of the judiciary and a clerical member of the Guardian Council. Together, they would assume the responsibilities of the supreme leader until a permanent successor is chosen.

The transition process now underway will be closely watched both inside Iran and internationally, as it determines who will hold ultimate authority over the country’s armed forces, judiciary and key state institutions.