Is Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei being replaced? Reports claim possibility being considered

Following a wave of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that jolted the region, high-ranking Iranian officials are reportedly weighing a seismic political shift — removing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Behind closed doors in Tehran, discussions once whispered due to Khamenei’s age and health have escalated, with multiple factions now seriously contemplating his ouster. “Everybody knows Khamenei’s days are numbered,” one official told The Atlantic. “Even if he stays in office, he won’t have actual power.”

Long before the recent military escalation, concerns over Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s age and declining health had already sparked quiet debates among Iranian power brokers about succession. Now, in the aftermath of intensified airstrikes, those discussions are reportedly gaining traction.

According to The Atlantic, a coalition of officials — including businessmen, military leaders, clerics, and political insiders — is exploring the possibility of replacing the 86-year-old supreme leader. One source described it as just one of several “plots” in motion, reflecting growing doubts about Khamenei’s grip on power. “Even if he stays in office, he won’t have actual power,” the official added.

Security fears have pushed Khamenei further into seclusion. As reported by The New York Times, he has retreated to a bunker and suspended electronic communications. Iranian officials say this heightened security comes amid credible assassination threats. Despite the risks, Khamenei has already named three potential successors.

Reuters reports that a three-man committee from Iran’s top clerical body — appointed by Khamenei in 2023 to manage succession — is accelerating its work. The committee is briefing Khamenei regularly, even as it considers candidates who balance revolutionary credentials with political pragmatism.

Two names have surfaced as frontrunners. Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader’s son, is seen as a continuity figure. The other, Hassan Khomeini — grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and aligned with Iran’s reformist bloc — has the backing of key clerics and Revolutionary Guard figures due to his family legacy.

The fallout from the US-Israel strikes has shifted the calculus. Some officials argue it has made removing Khamenei more urgent, while others warn the upheaval could reinforce his hold. Any formal move to depose him would require a vote by the Assembly of Experts, a step seen as unlikely under current wartime instability.

Meanwhile, internal fears are mounting that Israeli intelligence may have breached Iran’s security structure. In response, Khamenei has stopped all electronic messaging, now communicating solely through a trusted aide.