Iran's Next Leader Secretly Chosen, Report Claims

A secret meeting of Iran's top clerics and military leaders has reportedly chosen a successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The choice of Ebrahim Raisi, the current head of Iran's judiciary, was made in a meeting held in the holy city of Qom, according to a report by the Iranian opposition group the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)

If confirmed, Raisi's selection would mark a significant shift in Iranian politics. The 60-year-old cleric is a hardliner who is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's powerful military force.

Raisi has been a vocal critic of the West and has called for a tougher stance against Israel. He is also known for his harsh treatment of political dissidents and has been accused of human rights abuses.

The NCRI report claims that Raisi was chosen as Khamenei's successor after a long and difficult process. The report says that Khamenei himself was not present at the meeting but that he gave his blessing to the choice of Raisi.

The NCRI is a Paris-based group that is opposed to the Iranian government. The group has a history of making claims about Iran's internal affairs that have later been proven to be false. However, the NCRI's report on Raisi's selection is consistent with other reports from Iranian dissidents and analysts.

The selection of Raisi as Khamenei's successor would be a major blow to Iran's reformists. The reformists have been pushing for greater political and social freedoms in Iran. They have also been critical of the IRGC's growing influence in Iranian politics.

The hardliners, on the other hand, have been pushing for a more conservative and isolationist Iran. They have also been critical of the reformists' attempts to improve relations with the West.

The selection of Raisi as Khamenei's successor would be a victory for the hardliners and a setback for the reformists. It would also likely lead to a more conservative and isolationist Iran.