Khaberni - Two days after the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in intense American-Israeli airstrikes on one of his headquarters in the capital Tehran, and amid the still unclear identity of his successor, a member of the Assembly of Experts responsible for choosing the leader confirmed that the selection of Khamenei's successor "will not take long"
Ali Maalimi, a member of the "Assembly of Experts," said in statements today, Tuesday, that the period for choosing a new leader would not be long.
He added that "the members of the council swore an oath not to let the whims of individuals or political and party factions interfere with the process of selecting the leader," according to what was reported by the "ISNA" agency.
"A friendly regime in Iran"
For his part, the Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, clarified that the American administration “naturally prefers the presence of a friendly regime in Iran,” according to his expression.
However, in an earlier interview today with the "Fox News" network, he added that changing the Iranian regime is not the main goal. He went on to say that the United States "would welcome in an ideal world an Iranian leadership prepared to cooperate with it.
But he pointed out that the main goal for Trump is to ensure that Tehran does not possess nuclear weapons, regardless of who is in power. He said "Whatever happens to the regime in one way or another, it is secondary compared to the main goal which is to ensure that the Iranian regime does not build a nuclear bomb."
Note that Trump, in his first video message after the Israeli and American strikes on Iran last Saturday, called on Iranians to take control of their government, telling citizens of the country, which has 90 million people, "When we are done, take over your government."
However, he did not touch on that issue in later statements he made last night, Monday. He merely sought to justify launching a broad and open-ended war on Iran. The American President, in his first public appearance since the start of the conflict, said that the American aerial attacks were expected to last four to five weeks, perhaps longer.
Candidates for Khamenei's Succession
It is worth noting that several names have recently been mentioned as potential successors to Khamenei, while the country is currently led by a temporary leadership council that includes President Masoud Bizshkian, the head of the Judicial Authority Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, and a member of the Constitutional Guard Council Ali Reza A'rafi.
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, who has held the judiciary power since 2021 and has a long history in judiciary and security, was also a former Minister of Intelligence.
The name of Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, who has significant influence through his relations with the Revolutionary Guards and security agencies, was also circulated, noting that he has not held any official position.
However, his nomination is considered controversial due to opposition to the notion of heredity within the Iranian regime.
As for A'rafi, who is a member of the Assembly of Experts and also a member of the temporary leadership council, he is considered one of the influential religious and political figures in the country.
The name of Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the "Islamic Republic," Ruhollah Khomeini, and classified within the reformist trend, has also been introduced. He is also viewed as a strong political and religious symbol.
Furthermore, the name of Hassan Rouhani, the former Iranian president (2013–2021), was also circulated, although some observers believe his chances seem weaker compared to the other names.
