To a dead king, the quote would say, king placed, if it were not for the fact that Iransunk by a bombing campaign USA e Israel Since Saturday, he has not been able to find a replacement. Tel Aviv, that day, managed to assassinate the Iranian supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khameneiand the authorities of the Persian country promised the election of a new leader in a matter of days or hours.
On Tuesday, another Israeli bombardment hit a building in Qom where a vote on the matter was taking place. According to Iranian opposition media abroad – these media, belligerent to the extreme against the Islamic Republicsometimes they err on the side of publishing poorly contrasted information—, there is a great internal tension to choose the heir to the throne.
But there are several favorites in the race, which is also poisoned. Washington y Tel Aviv They have assured in recent days that anyone who gains the position of supreme leader will be a military target.
There are, yes, some requirements In order to be chosen as head of state in Iran: you must be a man -of course-, Shia clerichave a career within Iran’s political institutions and be loyal to the system of the Islamic Republic.
Among the names that are being considered to succeed Khamenei there are two that stand out especially: that of his son, Mojtaba Jameneiand that of the clergyman Alireza Arafi:
Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, 56 yearsis undoubtedly seen as the great favorite to be elected as the new supreme leader, despite the fact that his father, during his lifetime, was against a dynastic succession in the position.
Mojtaba Jamenei has spent decades behind the scenes of power in Tehranand has extensive political and economic connections with the Revolutionary GuardIran’s military-political elite body. Rumors, in fact, suggest that the Guard would be pushing for a quick choice of Khamenei Jr. for the throne, something rejected by the highest-ranking clerics, who would supposedly favor other figures with more clerical and political status.
His profile has been reinforced in recent days, especially after having survived an assassination attempt by an Israel that has managed to kill – especially in the bombing on Saturday – a large part of his family, including his mother, Zahra Haddad Adeland other close relatives.
The favorite of the Iranian clerical establishment, Alireza Arafi He was chosen Sunday as one of three members of the interim triumvirate ruling Iran while a new supreme leader is elected. This tripartite government is led by the president, Mesud Pezeshkianthe leader of the judiciary, Gholam Hoséin Mohseni Ejeí and Arafi himself, appointed by a small council of clerics.
Arafi is not known for being a political heavyweight, nor does he have close ties to the top security circles in the Persian country, but he was a man of great confidence —both ideological and bureaucratic— of Khamenei, and before the death of the supreme leader he already sounded like one of the candidates to relieve the ayatollah in case of death.
Apart from the two favorites, there are other profiles marked as possible in this succession race. Among them stand out, above all, Hasan Khomeinigrandson of the first Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, y Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagherisenior ultra-conservative official of the Assembly of Expertsthe body that must choose the new supreme leader.
The election process, however, raises many doubts: the Islamic Republic has only changed its leader once, in 1989, and that change was carried out quickly to show continuity in the regime that is now threatened by bombs from the US and Israel. Iran was supposed to bury Khamenei Sr. this Friday, and close your succession next. The funeral has been postponed indefinitely. Tehran alleges capacity problems, but the risk of bombings at that event probably had a lot to do with it.
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