At least seven high-level officials in Iran‘s government, along with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have been reported killed in Israeli strikes on Saturday.
Israel and the United States conducted strikes starting overnight, with the Israel Defense Forces reportedly targeting regime leaders and the U.S. military hitting Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programs. Retaliatory strikes from Iran are underway, with missiles launched at Israel and U.S. military bases in the region. But the regime has already suffered massive losses, and not just Khamenei.
Touting what it called its “opening salvo” for its military operation against the regime, the IDF said it killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cmdr. Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, two Khamenei advisers, a current and former chairman of Iran’s nuclear program, and a chief intelligence official in Iran’s military emergency headquarters.
Most of those killed were appointed by Khamenei, who wields immense power over personnel decisions. But with his death, the regime is in crisis.
In the interim, a three-member council will assume power. That includes Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was also targeted by Israel, Chief Justice Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, and one Islamic cleric.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated earlier on Saturday that Pezeshkian survived the attack.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which is composed of 88 elected Islamic clerics, will then meet to elect a new supreme leader.
At this point there is no clear successor to Khamenei. According to Axios, one of his sons, Mojtaba Khamenei, has previously been floated as a top choice. An aide to his father, he was targeted in the strikes but is believed to have survived.
Complicating those proceedings is the U.S. and Israeli goals. Both suggested the strikes were designed to initiate regime change, with President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging the Iranian people to overthrow their theocratic government.
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In that case, the future of Iran’s government is even more unclear.
While exiled former crown prince Reza Pahlavi had led the opposition to the regime during protests in January, Trump has expressed hesitance he would have popular support.
