"Unable to fulfill the role": Reports of intention in Iran to replace Khamenei

The Iranian opposition website IranWire reports, citing two sources within the regime, of an intention to replace Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after reaching an agreement with the US. The sources note that political leaders and commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps believe that his continued leadership is unsustainable and weakens the system, and that there are other "worthy clerics."

The opposition news website IranWire reported, citing two informed sources within the Iranian regime, that there is an intention to replace Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after reaching a full agreement with the United States and ending military confrontations with the US and Israel. The sources, who maintain close ties with various factions within the regime, noted that both political leaders from different factions and many commanders in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) believe that Khamenei's continued leadership is unsustainable and effectively weakens the system. One source, in contact with the offices of senior ayatollahs in Qom, was quoted as saying there is no shortage of "just, God-fearing clerics well-versed in the spirit of the times" who can fulfill the role, and that Khamenei, apparently due to physical reasons, is unable to fulfill all duties. Another source, who served in the IRGC, claimed that certain groups in the country, especially within the IRGC and the Basij, see their future in continued hostility and war, and that the absence of a strong leader is a blessing for them. The article notes that Khamenei's tenure, which began on March 8, 2026, is characterized by heavy media fog, unprecedented dependence on the security establishment, and a deep economic and military crisis.