Western media outlets have reported that senior officials are actively discussing the possible removal of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to some sources, this is considered part of ongoing conspiracies against him. One official reportedly told American media that everyone knows Khamenei’s days are numbered. Even if he remains in office, they claim, his grip on real power is weakening.
Reports suggest that Iranian officials had already been considering the removal of the 86-year-old leader due to his advanced age and deteriorating health, well before the recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. In response to the attack, Iran had vowed strong retaliation. However, insiders admit that Tehran lacks the military capacity to sustain extended conflict against both Israel and the United States.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped into the crisis, declaring his support for Iran and sharply condemning the American attack. Putin accused Washington of gambling with the security of humanity and warned that retaliation against Israeli nuclear installations could plunge the region into deeper turmoil. Russia has also initiated diplomatic efforts to halt the escalating Iran-Israel conflict.
On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow a day earlier for high-level talks with Putin. Last Wednesday, Khamenei made a televised address to the nation. According to three Iranian officials quoted by The New York Times, he is now sheltering in a secure underground bunker, with all electronic communications reportedly cut off to enhance his security.
Despite the crisis, Khamenei has already nominated three potential successors in the event of his death. Among them is his 56-year-old son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Reports suggest that Khamenei has gone into hiding with close family members, protected by a specialized unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, if he survives the ongoing turmoil, it is expected that Khamenei himself will make the final decision regarding his succession.
