Is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a coma? Iran starts discussing his successor
Tehran denies reports that Khamenei is in poor health, but sources say officials are preparing for a possible transition of power.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, is reportedly in a coma, and Iranian officials have begun discussing who will succeed him.
The reports of Khamenei's ill health come from a variety of sources, including opposition groups and Western intelligence agencies. Iranian officials have denied the reports, but they have also begun to prepare for a possible transition of power.
If Khamenei were to die or become incapacitated, it would create a major political crisis in Iran. Khamenei is the most powerful figure in the country, and his death would leave a major vacuum in the Iranian leadership.
There are a number of potential successors to Khamenei, but it is unclear who would ultimately be chosen. The most likely candidates are:
- Ebrahim Raisi, the current Chief Justice of Iran
- Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the former Mayor of Tehran
- Ali Larijani, the former Speaker of the Iranian Parliament
- Hassan Rouhani, the current President of Iran
The decision of who will succeed Khamenei will likely be made by the Assembly of Experts, a body of 86 clerics that is responsible for choosing the Supreme Leader.
The Assembly of Experts is dominated by conservatives, so it is likely that the next Supreme Leader will also be a conservative. However, it is possible that the Assembly could choose a more moderate candidate, such as Rouhani.
The succession of Khamenei will be a major event in Iranian history. It is unclear who will succeed him, but it is clear that the transition of power will be a difficult and potentially destabilizing process.
