Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead. Now his successor must be decided.Image: keystone
Khamenei is dead – and the power struggle for successor begins in Iran. State media reports on a transition trio, while it remains unclear who will control the security apparatus in the long term. But there are candidates.
March 1, 2026, 4:51 p.mMarch 1, 2026, 4:51 p.m
Ali Khamenei shaped religious and political life in Iran for decades and led the Islamic Republic with a strict hand. He made key decisions in foreign policy, society and the military.
His death marks a turning point. Although the system has several levels of deputies to secure the power structures, it is unclear who will succeed him as supreme leader.
In addition, the complex network of religious and military institutions makes reliable forecasts difficult. In addition, there are different interests in the succession.
Those who remain want a trio in power
If the rest of the regime has its way, a three-member council will temporarily run the country. President Massoud Peseschkian, head of the judiciary Gholam-Hussein Mohseni-Edschehi and the member of the Guardian Council, Alireza Arafi, should assume responsibility for the transition phase.
An adviser to the slain Khamenei, Mohammed Mochber, said this, according to the state-run Iranian news agency Mehr. The Iranian news agency IRNA also reported on it.
The trio is supposed to take over Khamenei’s duties until the so-called Council of Experts, a committee of 88 influential clergy, names a successor. According to the constitution, the Council of Experts must immediately appoint and introduce a new leader, said Mochber.
Khamenei’s son or the military
It is unclear who could follow Khamenei and the transition trio. The religious leader never commented on this publicly. In recent years, his son Moschtaba has been mentioned again and again, although he has rarely been in the public eye. It would also be difficult for the state apparatus to reorganize the power structure in the middle of a war.
An Iranian holds a picture of Modshtaba Khamenei during celebrations for the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 11, 2026.Image: keystone
Other possible candidates lack the power base in the security forces, wrote the NZZ already last year. The unclear succession reveals a key omission on Khamenei’s part: in order to secure his power, he did not allow a personality alongside him to become large enough to be considered as a possible Supreme Leader.
“It is therefore almost impossible that the Iranian Republic will survive Khamenei’s death,” historian Arash Azizi told the NZZ. Nevertheless, he does not believe in democratic change – instead the military would probably remain in power.
The son of the last Shah wants to lead
A figure from exile is also considered a possible transitional actor. Reza Pahlavi, son of the Shah who was overthrown in 1979, brings himself into the game again. In the “Washington Post” He wrote that many Iranians had asked him to lead the transition. He wants to follow this call and pave the way to a new constitution.
This should first be passed in a referendum. This should be followed by free elections under international supervision. “With the Iranians’ vote, the interim government will dissolve,” he continued.
This is Reza Pahlavi
Pahlavi, who was once appointed crown prince by his authoritarian father, the last Shah of Persia, has been living in exile in the USA for decades. During the recent mass protests, he claimed a leadership role from abroad in the fractious and fragmented Iranian opposition. He has built up an audience of millions on social media. He is now considered one of the most influential opposition voices abroad.
Image: keystone
Pahlavi stressed that Iran does not want to repeat the mistakes that followed the Iraq War. “There will be no dissolution of institutions, no power vacuum, no chaos,” he continued. “A democratic Iran would fundamentally change the Middle East and transform one of the world’s most persistent trouble spots into a pillar of regional stability,” said Pahlavi confidently. He also held out the prospect of “immediately recognizing” Israel’s arch-enemy.
Trumps has secret favorites
US President Donald Trump has also commented on a possible successor in Iran. When asked if there was anyone he would like to see at the helm of Iran, Trump told CBS News: “Yes, I think so. There are some good candidates.” Trump did not name any names.
US President Donald Trump has not yet named any names for possible successors.Image: keystone
Trump was also asked by CBS News who he believes is in charge in Iran following Khamenei’s death. The US President replied: “I know exactly who, but I can’t tell you.”
With material from the news agencies SDA and DPA.