If Khamenei Falls, Who Could Be Iran's Next Supreme Leader?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amid the intensifying armed conflict between Iran and Israel, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly implemented a series of emergency measures to safeguard the country's leadership and protect himself from potential assassination attempts.

Khamenei is said to have halted all forms of electronic communication and now communicates with military commanders solely through trusted aides. This precaution is aimed at avoiding location tracking and minimizing the risk of being targeted.

Reports indicate that he is currently sheltering in an underground bunker to bolster his personal security in light of worsening conditions.

In this state of emergency, Khamenei has also appointed individuals to assume key roles within the military command structure in case any strategic personnel are lost. Furthermore, he has reportedly selected three senior clerics as potential successors should he die during the ongoing conflict.

Believing that the threat of assassination by Israel or the United States is extremely high, Khamenei has instructed the Assembly of Experts, which is constitutionally responsible for appointing the Supreme Leader, to immediately select one of the three clerics as his successor in the event of his death.

Under normal circumstances, the succession process can take months. However, given the wartime context, Khamenei reportedly seeks a rapid and orderly transfer of power to preserve national stability and maintain the Islamic Republic’s leadership continuity.

According to the news outlet Iran International, the names of the three clerics have not been disclosed to the public. Their pre-selection is viewed as a strategic move to ensure a swift succession through the Assembly of Experts if the need arises.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader's son who was previously rumored to be a leading candidate for succession, is reportedly not among the three clerics chosen. Mojtaba had close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was often the subject of speculation regarding his potential to inherit his father's role.

In recent days, Iran's Intelligence Ministry has significantly tightened security protocols. Senior officials and military leaders have been banned from using phones and other electronic devices.

High-ranking personnel have also been ordered to remain in underground locations to avoid airstrikes or infiltration attempts by foreign forces. As of now, the Iranian government has not issued any official response to the report.

Tensions escalated sharply on June 13, 2025, when Israel launched a series of airstrikes on key targets in Iran, including military sites and nuclear enrichment facilities. Iran responded by attacking several locations in Israel, targeting hospitals, oil refineries in Haifa, religious sites, and civilian neighborhoods.

Israeli authorities reported that at least 25 people were killed and hundreds injured in the Iranian missile strikes. Meanwhile, a Washington-based human rights group stated that more than 657 people have died in Iran, including 263 civilians, with over 2,000 others injured.

The situation further escalated after the United States formally entered the conflict. President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had bombed three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the underground uranium enrichment site in Fordo.

Tehran has reportedly suffered greater destruction in recent days than during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Despite the heavy toll from Israeli and American airstrikes, which have destroyed strategic facilities and killed several top military officials, Iran’s senior command structure remains intact, according to domestic sources and diplomats on the ground.

Sita Planasari contributed to the writing of this article.

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