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The Assembly of Experts in Iran has reached a majority consensus regarding the successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to reports from the Tehran-based Mehr News Agency (MNA).
The development follows the killing of the 86-year-old supreme leader. Quoting Assembly of Experts member Mirbaqeri, the report stated that while a "majority consensus over Khamenei's successor has been reached," the transition process is not yet fully complete as "some obstacles regarding the process need to be resolved." This movement toward a transition was further reinforced on Wednesday this week, when Iran's leadership council informed state media that a successor would be appointed at the earliest opportunity. In a video shared by the Tasnim News Agency, an official told state television that "no problem has arisen in the field of leadership." He confirmed that the leadership council is currently running the country, adding, "Praise be to God, we have come closer, but the situation is one of war." The official contrasted the current crisis with the transition following Ayatollah Khomeini's death, noting that the immediate appointment seen then was possible because the environment was not a "war situation." He emphasised that the Assembly of Experts is now "striving" despite the ongoing hostilities. Amid the deliberation, the Iranian Government, via its Consulate General in Mumbai, dismissed reports emerging from Israeli media suggesting that Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his late father's successor. In a post on X, the consulate stated: "Reports circulating on media regarding potential candidates for leadership selected by Iran's Assembly of Experts have no official source and are officially denied." While Israeli media claimed Mojtaba Khamenei had been chosen, no independent confirmation has surfaced from official Iranian state media. As the political transition unfolds, Iran's state media has reported that citizens will bid farewell to the late Supreme Leader in a ceremony scheduled for tonight at Tehran's Imam Khomeini prayer ground. The ceremony is expected to last for three days, with the final funeral procession to be announced once it is finalised. The regional conflict has escalated significantly for over a week following the US and Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Khamenei and other key figures. In retaliation, Tehran has launched counter-strikes targeting American military bases and Israeli assets across the region. (ANI)
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