Iran's Succession Quandary: Choosing a Supreme Leader Amid Tumult

Iran has yet to elect a new Supreme Leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's assassination in a joint US-Israeli airstrike. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is among the candidates but nothing is finalized. The 88-member Assembly of Experts is responsible for choosing the leader amid heightened tensions with Israel and the US.

A senior Iranian official reported Thursday that Iran has not yet selected a successor for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a recent airstrike by the United States and Israel.

Ayatollah Dr Abdul Majeed Hakeemelahi, representing Iran's supreme leader in India, clarified ongoing deliberations within the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for appointing the nation's next leader. Despite some media outlets claiming that Ayatollah Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, has been chosen, Hakeemelahi emphasized that the process is still underway.

The task of selecting a new supreme leader is in the hands of the 88-member Assembly of Experts, Hakeemelahi explained, amid unfavorable conditions caused by military threats from Israel and the US. Iran remains firm in its resolve to defend itself, even as the attacks severely damaged the meeting place of the assembly in Qom. The assembly continues to weigh candidates, including Ayatollah Mojtaba, based on merit rather than familial ties.

(With inputs from agencies.)