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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has served as Iran’s supreme leader since 1989. There have been concerns over the succession after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash last year
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is reportedly “seriously ill” and a quiet battle of succession has emerged. This comes as the country mulls its response to the Israeli strikes early on Saturday (October 26).
According to a report published by The New York Times, Khamenei’s second oldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei (55), is likely to succeed him. The 85-year-old’s condition is said to be serious, with even the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps weighing to have a say in who will succeed him.
Khamenei has served as the supreme leader since 1989 after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini. There have been concerns over the succession after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash last year. The Times said there has been “internal disquiet” over the possible succession ever since Raisi’s death.
The leader’s illness makes the situation more complicated in the aftermath of Israel’s response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on military sites. Iranian officials have said they do not want any further escalation. Not only Iran, Israel has also struck targets in Iraq and Syria.
Hence, Iran’s dilemma is now acute with faltering allies, a failing economy and, now, an ailing supreme leader prompting a succession battle.
What did Iran say after the Israeli strikes?
Iran’s military issued a carefully worded statement on Saturday night suggesting a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon trumps any retaliation against Israel. While saying it had the right to retaliate, the statement suggested Tehran may be trying to find a way to avoid further escalation.
Iran’s military further said Israel used so-called “stand-off” missiles over Iraqi airspace to launch its attacks, and that the warheads were much lighter in order to travel the distance to the targets they struck in three provinces in Iran. The statement said Iranian military radar sites had been damaged, but some already were under repair.
(With agency inputs)