JUST IN: Iran Supreme Leader issues last order amid fear of assassination

In a rare and dramatic move, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named three potential successors to lead the Islamic Republic, should he be killed during the escalating conflict with Israel.

The unprecedented decision, reported by The New York Times and confirmed by multiple Iranian sources, comes amid growing fears that Khamenei may be targeted for assassination following the most intense Israeli military assault on Iran since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Khamenei, 85, is reportedly sheltering in a fortified bunker at an undisclosed location as Israeli airstrikes continue to hammer Iranian military infrastructure and suspected nuclear facilities.

Officials close to Iran’s ruling establishment told the Times that Khamenei has submitted a sealed list of three names to the Assembly of Experts — the constitutionally mandated clerical body responsible for selecting the supreme leader.

The list, viewed as both a political and military contingency plan, identifies trusted figures deemed capable of preserving the Islamic Republic’s ideological and strategic continuity if Khamenei is killed or incapacitated.

Notably absent from the shortlist is his influential son, Mojtaba Khamenei, long speculated to be the heir apparent. The exclusion marks a significant deviation from expectations of dynastic succession and may reflect internal pressures to preserve the legitimacy of clerical rule over perceived nepotism.

Iranian authorities have not released the identities of the proposed successors, citing national security concerns. Analysts believe they could include senior figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), veteran clerics aligned with Khamenei’s hardline ideology, or trusted political operatives within the Supreme National Security Council.

The gravity of the decision underscores the volatile and dangerous moment now facing the Iranian leadership.

Israel’s latest barrage — which Tehran has condemned as a “declaration of total war” — follows weeks of tit-for-tat missile exchanges and sabotage attacks across the Middle East.

Speaking in a recent televised address, Khamenei said:
“The people of Iran will stand against a forced war. We have faced storms before and survived.”

However, behind closed doors, sources say the regime is on high alert. There are growing concerns that Israeli intelligence operatives have infiltrated Iran’s security ranks, a fear Khamenei has reportedly raised in high-level briefings.

Intelligence leaks, cyber-attacks, and insider threats have further fueled anxiety about a coordinated attempt to decapitate the regime’s leadership.

According to Western diplomats, Iran’s leadership is also alarmed by the potential of direct U.S. military intervention, with former President Donald Trump openly hinting at possible American involvement.

Although Iran’s military has vowed to retaliate, some in Tehran fear that the Islamic Republic may be entering its most dangerous period since the 1979 revolution.

The Supreme Leader’s decision to delegate future authority to the Assembly of Experts — and pre-select successors — is a calculated effort to ensure regime survival even if he does not.

The Assembly, comprised of 88 senior clerics, has the constitutional power to appoint a new Supreme Leader following the death or removal of the incumbent. Historically, it has acted in unity with Khamenei’s preferences.

But the process has never been triggered during wartime or under external military threat.

“This is a moment of extraordinary risk,” said one Iranian political analyst, speaking anonymously for security reasons. “Khamenei naming successors from a bunker suggests they expect the worst.”

As of Saturday afternoon, Iranian state media has remained tight-lipped about the reported succession list, while the international community closely watches for signs of political fragmentation or instability.

In the meantime, air raid sirens continue to sound across key Iranian cities as civilians brace for more attacks, and speculation swirls over who might lead the Islamic Republic if Khamenei falls.

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