The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Sunda have issued a stern warning that they will “continue to persecute any successor and any person who seeks to appoint a successor” to Iran’s next supreme leader, local media reported.
“We want to tell you that the hand of the State of Israel will continue to persecute every successor and every person who tries to name a successor,” The Jerusalem Post quoted the Israeli army as saying on social media, written in Farsi, on Sunday morning.
The IDF’s latest threat comes amid the ongoing war between Iran, the US and Israel – which entered its second week on Saturday, March 7.
What the IDF said
The IDF further warned individuals involved in the transition process, saying that anyone attending meetings to select a new leader would be considered a legitimate target. “We are warning all who intend to attend the meeting to select a successor that we will not hesitate to target you as well. This is a warning!” added the army.
The threat comes as Iran’s Assembly of Experts reportedly reached a majority consensus on the successor to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Tehran-based Mehr News Agency (MNA).
The development follows the killing of the 86-year-old supreme leader. Quoting a member of the Assembly of Experts, Mirbaqeri’s report said that while “majority consensus has been reached on Khamenei’s successor”, the transition process is not yet fully complete, as “some process hurdles need to be resolved”.
Momentum for the transition was further strengthened on Wednesday this week, when Iran’s ruling council told state media that a successor would be named at the earliest opportunity.
In a video shared by the Tasnim news agency, the official told state television that “there was no leadership problem.” He confirmed that the country is currently being run by a leadership council, adding: “Praise be to God, we have come close but the situation is warlike.”
The official contrasted the current crisis with the transition after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, noting that the immediate appointment that took place then was possible because the environment was not a “war situation”. He emphasized that the Assembly of Experts was now “making efforts” despite the ongoing hostilities.
Amid these negotiations, the Iranian government, through its Consulate General in Bombay, denied reports emanating from the Israeli media suggesting that Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his late father’s successor.
In a post on X, the consulate said: “Reports circulating in the media about potential leadership candidates selected by the Iranian Assembly of Experts have no official source and are officially denied.” While Israeli media claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen, no independent confirmation emerged from official Iranian state media.
As the political transition unfolds, Iranian state media reported that citizens will bid farewell to the late supreme leader in a ceremony scheduled for this evening at the Imam Khomeini prayer hall in Tehran. The ceremony is expected to last three days, with the final funeral procession to be announced after its completion.
The regional conflict has been escalating significantly for more than a week following US and Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Khamenei and other key figures. In retaliation, Tehran launched counterstrikes targeting US military bases and Israeli assets across the region.
