Iran War: Khamenei’s Son Apparent Successor, Iranian Ship Sinks Off Sri Lanka
Iran is close to selecting its new Supreme Leader, with the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba, emerging as the front-runner to succeed his father.
Meanwhile, a US submarine attack struck an Iranian ship off Sri Lanka’s coast on Wednesday, injuring dozens of people, as the US-Israeli war on Iran entered its fifth day.
Iran’s New Supreme Leader
The Iranian Assembly of Experts, the entity responsible for electing the new Supreme Leader, is nearing the selection of Khamenei’s successor, a member of the body told state TV on Wednesday.
“The Supreme Leader will be identified in the closest opportunity, we are close to a conclusion, however the situation in the country is a war situation,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said, as quoted by Reuters.
The late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday, February 28, which started the current war.
Khamenei’s Successor
A longtime contender to the post, Mojtaba Khamenei is the likely next Supreme leader of Iran. He has survived the US-Israeli strikes so far, according to Iranian sources, although his whereabouts remain unknown.
As a hardliner who enjoys close ties to the Revolutionary Guards, Mojtaba is one of the most influential figures in the Iranian clerical establishment. He is a mid-ranking cleric who received his theological education at the hands of hardline conservatives in the seminaries of Qom.
Mojtaba, 55, has rarely spoken in public, although he made appearances in loyalist rallies. While he has never assumed a formal position in the government, his ties to the Revolutionary Guards boosted his leverage within Iran’s political and security apparatus.
Critics argue that Mojtaba – who carries the clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam – does not possess the required religious ranking (Ayatollah) to become Supreme Leader.
Mojtaba was the subject of sanctions by the US Treasury Department in 2019 for representing the Supreme Leader in “an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.”
Israeli Threats
Amid reports about selecting a new Supreme Leader, Israel issued an explicit threat to Iran’s next leader. On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Iran’s next supreme leader will be “a target for elimination.”
“Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people – will be an unequivocal target for elimination. It does not matter what his name is or the place where he hides,” he wrote on X.
Israel on Tuesday struck a building affiliated with Iran’s Assembly of Experts, reportedly during a meeting to select the new Supreme Leader.
Iranian Ship Hit
An Iranian navy frigate with 180 onboard sank off Sri Lanka’s coast on Wednesday after an explosion, reported Reuters. A Sri Lankan navy spokesperson said that 32 people have been rescued and are receiving treatment in the hospital.
Meanwhile, a search and rescue operation is underway. Reuters reported earlier that the IRIS Dena ship was targeted by a submarine attack, injuring dozens and leaving more than 100 people missing. However, the navy spokesperson rejected the reports, saying there is no explanation yet for the incident.
The IRIS Dena is one of Iran’s newest navy warships, according to the Associated Press (AP).
Speaking at the Pentagon’s briefing room on Wednesday, the US War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, confirmed that a torpedo from a US submarine struck the Iranian frigate in international waters. “The Iranian navy rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf,” he said, adding that more forces, including jet fighters and bombers, will soon arrive in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump said that the operation against Iran, dubbed Epic Fury, has obliterated Iranian navy and air capabilities. “Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone,” he posted on Truth Social.
He also said that their missile capabilities have been reduced. “We’ve had a very powerful impact. Virtually everything they had has been knocked out now. Their missile count is going down,” he said at the White House on Tuesday.
