Iran Clerics Choose Khamenei Successor But Withhold Name; Israel Says Replacement Will Be Targeted

Last Updated:March 08, 2026, 15:57 IST

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has chosen the next Supreme Leader after Ali Khamenei's death, but the name is undisclosed. Israel warns the successor could be a target.

Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts has reached a decision on who will become the country’s next Supreme Leader, though the name of the chosen cleric has not yet been made public, according to Iranian media reports.

Members of the body responsible for selecting Iran’s top leader confirmed that a consensus has been reached after internal deliberations. The Assembly convened following the death of longtime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose position is the most powerful in Iran’s political system.

“The most suitable candidate, approved by the majority of the Assembly of Experts, has been determined," Mohsen Heydari, a member of the selection body representing Khuzestan province, told Islamic Republic News Agency.

Another member of the assembly, Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, confirmed the decision in remarks carried by Fars News Agency, saying “a firm opinion reflecting the majority view has been reached."

Israel Warns Successor Could Be Target

The leadership transition is unfolding amid escalating tensions with Israel, which has warned that Iran’s next supreme leader could become a target.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier said that whoever succeeds Khamenei would be an “unequivocal target for elimination" if Iran continues its confrontation with Israel.

The warning has heightened pressure on Iran’s clerical establishment as it navigates a sensitive leadership transition during an ongoing regional conflict.

News world Iran Clerics Choose Khamenei Successor But Withhold Name; Israel Says Replacement Will Be Targeted

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