Iran is reportedly delaying the announcement of a successor after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei due to security concerns.

A portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is killed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, hangs at the Embassy of Iran in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 5th ahead of a press conference by Saeed Koozechian, ambassador of Iran to South Korea. /Courtesy of News1

Iran's government is delaying the announcement of a successor, the New York Times (NYT) reported on the 5th (local time). The security risk has grown after the United States and Israel noted that the new leader could also become a target of attack.

Mojtaba Khamenei (56), Khamenei's second son, is being mentioned as the leading contender to succeed him. However, Iranian officials who requested anonymity said that as his name has become widely known through the media, concerns about his personal safety are growing.

The United States has publicly said it cannot accept Mojtaba being designated as successor. President Donald Trump said in an interview with the online outlet Axios that day, "(Mojtaba is) a lightweight, and (his designation as successor is) unacceptable," arguing that he should be involved in the process of deciding the successor.

Israel also holds a hard-line stance. Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, said on social media (SNS) the day before that "any leader appointed to replace Khamenei will be a clear target for elimination."

Earlier, U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran killed Khamenei and many of Iran's military command and key defense-related figures. However, the clerical leadership and the heads of the presidency, judiciary, and parliament—the leaders of the nation's three branches—have survived.

In this situation, if Mojtaba is chosen as supreme leader, analysts say Iran is likely to continue a hard-line conservative course. Mojtaba not only maintains close ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's powerful elite force, but has also operated as a "power broker" behind the curtain of authority.

President Trump said in an interview with NBC the same day that he already has in mind a pool of "good leaders" to guide Iran going forward. "We want to go in and clean everything up. We don't want someone who will rebuild the country over 10 years," he said, adding, "I see a few people who would do the job well." He did not name anyone.

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