Iran’s looming power struggle: The contenders to succeed Khamenei

During 12 days of Israeli missile strikes in June, the sudden disappearance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from public view unsettled Tehran’s political establishment and sparked something unprecedented in the Islamic Republic’s 45-year history: open speculation about his successor.

The following five senior clerics, as reported by IranWire, have since emerged as potential heirs to one of the world’s most influential religious posts:

• First among the leading candidates to succeed Khamenei is Alireza Arafi. Arafi currently serves as Friday prayer leader in Qom, Iran’s spiritual hub, and oversees the country’s seminaries. He also holds a jurist’s seat on the Guardian Council, the body that vets political candidates and ensures laws align with Islamic doctrine.
• Following Arafi is Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri. Known as the most conservative option, Mirbagheri represents the hard-line wing of Iran’s clerical elite. Born in Qom in 1961, he heads the Islamic Sciences Academy and serves on the Assembly of Experts, the council responsible for selecting the supreme leader.
• Ahmad Hosseini Khorasani also stands among the contenders. Despite keeping a low public profile, Khorasani wields notable institutional clout. Born in 1959 in Shirvan’s Fajrabad district, he represents Khorasan Razavi province on the Assembly of Experts and serves as a jurist on the Guardian Council.
• Another potential successor is Mohammad Reza Modarresi Yazdi. Yazdi’s candidacy underscores how family ties shape Iranian politics. A 1955-born cleric representing Khorasan Razavi in the Assembly of Experts, he also serves as the interim Friday prayer leader in Yazd. His brother’s long residence in the U.S. adds an unusual wrinkle to his profile.
• Hassan Ameli (b. 1962) represents Ardabil province in the Assembly of Experts and serves as the city’s Friday prayer leader. Compared to other candidates, Ameli is notable for his close ties to prominent clerics Naser Makarem Shirazi and Jafar Sobhani, credentials that distinguish him in fundamentalist circles.