A Regime in Mourning: Succession Under Fire

Five days after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran began his funeral ceremony at the Grand Mosalla of Tehran — even as Israeli bombs continued to fall on the capital. Reuters confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei, Khamenei's 56-year-old son, is alive and favoured to succeed his father, marking a potential dynastic turn in Iran's revolutionary system. The Assembly of Experts, constitutionally responsible for selecting a new supreme leader, had reportedly been convening sessions when its Qom office was struck. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued an explicit public threat to assassinate any appointed successor, turning the succession process itself into a targeting opportunity. Iran's foreign minister accused Trump of 'betraying diplomacy' and 'bombing the negotiation table.' The succession crisis is now the central political question of the conflict.

Key facts

• •Funeral ceremony begins at Grand Mosalla of Tehran
• •Mojtaba Khamenei (56) alive and frontrunner successor (Reuters)
• •Israel's Katz: 'Will hunt down and eliminate any successor'
• •Assembly of Experts office in Qom reportedly struck during session
• •FM Araghchi: Trump 'betrayed diplomacy — bombing the negotiation table'