YNET NEWS
Tehran has secretly chosen Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei, as the next head of the country, Iran International, a Persian-language international media outlet with ties to Iranian regime opponents reported on Saturday.
According to the report, Mojtaba may assume the role even before the death of his 85-year-old father, who is reportedly suffering from a severe illness.
The report claimed that 60 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts convened on September 26 in an exceptionally unusual meeting at the elder Khamenei’s demand. They were instructed to decide on the succession immediately, without prior notice and under strict confidentiality.
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.
The assembly resolved to maintain maximum secrecy over the decision due to fears of widespread public protests. Members were warned to keep the meeting confidential, with threats of repercussions for any leaks. Indeed, the meeting’s details were kept under wraps for five weeks.
