Iran Supreme Leader Names Three Successors Amid Bunker Retreat

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid escalating Israeli airstrikes and fears of assassination, has taken unprecedented security measures including relocating to a fortified bunker and suspending electronic communications, now communicating only through a trusted aide. In a significant departure from tradition, Khamenei has preemptively named three senior clerics as potential successors, bypassing the usual lengthy process by the Assembly of Experts, to ensure a swift leadership transition if he is killed. Notably, his son Mojtaba Khamenei, long rumored to be a frontrunner for succession, was excluded from this list. Alongside succession planning, Khamenei has also designated replacements down the military chain of command and implemented strict communication blackouts on senior officials to prevent further Israeli or possibly U.S. attacks. These moves highlight the acute security crisis facing Iran's leadership amid what officials describe as the most severe military assault since the Iran-Iraq War. Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on these developments, while the Ministry of Intelligence has ordered top officials to remain underground and banned electronic devices to guard against surveillance.