The Assembly of Experts focuses on Mojtaba Khamenei, the regional crisis nears escalation

After weeks of tensions, rumors, and denials, the political landscape in Tehran seems close to a turning point. The Assembly of Experts is said to have reached an agreement on the choice of the next Supreme Leader, indicating the fifty-six-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the current leader Ali Khamenei, as the heir. Hosseinali Eshkevari, a member of the body, confirmed the direction by stating that "Khamenei's name will continue to lead the country", while specifying that an official announcement is still awaited.

The proposed appointment at the top of the Islamic Republic aims to project stability at a time marked by the military offensive of the United States and Israel.

In the last twenty-four hours, airstrikes have hit oil facilities in the Tehran area, causing damage that goes beyond infrastructure: a toxic cloud and acid rain have descended on the capital, "poisoning civilians and the environment", harshly denounced by the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei.

However, the path to Mojtaba's installation remains bumpy. A figure of strict conservative adherence, with close ties to the Revolutionary Guards (pasdaran), the Leader's son faces strong internal opposition, traceable to a faction led by Ali Larijani, secretary of the National Security Council.

To complicate the picture, legal issues also come into play: lawyer Mohsen Borhani reminds that regulations and the Constitution require the physical presence of at least two-thirds of the Assembly members to deliberate; otherwise, any proclamation would lack legitimacy. This procedural stalemate would explain the delays in ratification and the tensions within an establishment shaken by chaos.

On the international front, the possible rise of Mojtaba has sparked harsh reactions. Donald Trump called the candidate "unacceptable", issuing an ultimatum: the future leader "must pass our scrutiny. Without it, he won't last long". A warning that echoes the line of the Idf, according to which Israel's long arm will strike not only the successor but also those who support his choice.

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, firmly rejected any U.S. interference, reiterating to Nbc that the decision solely belongs to the Iranian people, while admitting that, at the moment, "no one knows for sure" while awaiting the formal steps of the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the shadow of a regional conflict looms. Iran has extended its attacks against Gulf countries, hitting Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait — where a drone set a skyscraper on fire — and Saudi Arabia, where a bombing in al-Kharj resulted in two deaths and a dozen injuries.

Despite the dramatic scenario, the Revolutionary Guards claim confidence in their military capability, asserting they can “sustain six months of intense warfare.”

Tension remains extremely high in Israel, where debris from missiles launched by Iran triggered alarms as far as Tel Aviv, injuring six people.

To the north, in Lebanon, bombings are intensifying: Israeli airstrikes on Beirut have destroyed a hotel, killing five members of the Quds Force, in a rapid escalation that, since the end of the truce, has already claimed nearly 400 Lebanese lives.