Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's succession is under scrutiny as he is 86 years old and a target amid recent conflicts. His potential successors range from hardliners to reform-minded figures, with speculation increasing following military actions against Iran. Vali Nasr emphasizes the importance of this transition, noting the urgency due to recent war outcomes. Khamenei has handed potential successor names to the Assembly of Experts, although this group typically operates as a rubber stamp for his choices. Ostovar mentions that the announcement of a successor will diminish Khamenei's status.
"Everything in Iran in the past four or five years has really been about succession," he says. Khamenei has periodically handed names of potential successors to the so-called Assembly of Experts, a group of roughly 80 clerics."
"I think in the interest of preservation of the state and ensuring its continuity, [Khamenei] created contingency plans to make a transfer of power much more smooth and quick," he says.
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