Iran has delayed announcing a successor to its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, due to security concerns after comments from the United States and Israel suggested the next leader could also become a target, according to a report Thursday by The New York Times.
The report, citing two Iranian officials, said the delay stems from fears that publicly identifying the next leader could expose him to elimination attempts.
Ayatollah Khamenei was eliminated in American and Israeli strikes that have also eliminated senior military commanders and other figures connected to Iran’s defense establishment. The leaders of Iran’s three branches of government, the presidency, judiciary and parliament, remain alive.
According to The New York Times, Ayatollah Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has emerged as a leading contender to replace his father. However, security concerns increased after reports surfaced in the media suggesting he could become the new face of Iran.
Two Iranian officials told the newspaper that once Mojtaba Khamenei’s name began circulating as the preferred successor, the United States indicated that he would not be an acceptable choice and could also be targeted.
President Donald Trump dismissed the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei taking power.
“They are wasting their time," Trump told Axios on Thursday, adding that the former Supreme Leader’s son is “a lightweight" and an “unacceptable" choice.
“I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela," Trump said, referring to Delcy Rodríguez, who became interim leader after Washington captured the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro.
Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote in a social media post on Wednesday that any leader chosen to replace Khamenei would be “an unequivocal target for elimination."