How does Iran pick a new supreme leader?

Summary: Iran is currently scrambling to pick a new Supreme Leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in February 2026. Because Iran is in the middle of a war, the pressure is on. A group of 88 clerics called the Assembly of Experts is supposed to choose the next leader, but the system is tightly controlled by insiders.

One of the top choices is Khamenei's son, Mojtaba. However, picking him is controversial because he doesn't have the high religious rank usually required, and choosing a son makes it look like a royal family—which is exactly what Iran's 1979 revolution tried to get rid of. Another candidate, Ayatollah Arafi, used a loophole to skip his required written exams to get his current position. Whoever wins the job faces extreme danger; Israel has already bombed the building where the clerics met to vote, and Israel's defense minister has threatened to kill whoever becomes the next leader.

For more details, see Salon at salon.com/2026/03/06/how-does-iran-pick-a-new-supreme-leader-partner/ (opens in new tab)