Ahmad Khatami: A Secret Committee is Reviewing Candidates for the Future Leader

The spokesperson of the Assembly of Experts has announced the formation of a secret committee within the Assembly to select the future leader of the Islamic Republic. He stated that the leadership committee is currently reviewing qualified individuals for this position. He mentioned that only Ayatollah Khamenei, the current leader, has access to the committee's information, and if he wishes, 'the names of these individuals will be provided to him.' According to ISNA, Ahmad Khatami said on Saturday, March 4, at a press conference that a secret committee has been established in the 'Commission of Articles 107 and 109 of the Constitution' of the Assembly of Experts for selecting the future leader based on Ayatollah Khamenei's statements from 20 years ago. Khatami noted that Khamenei had previously told the members of the Assembly that they 'should have 10 leadership alternatives up their sleeves.' He emphasized that only the leader of the Islamic Republic can access this committee's information, adding, 'No other individual, including myself, has pursued it, nor do I wish to follow it to see confidential matters.' Previously, members of the Assembly of Experts have announced that the reports of the Commission of Article 107 of the Constitution and the investigations of this Assembly are confidential and will not be published. Khatami had previously stated that this committee would investigate 'individuals under consideration for leadership' and report its findings to the Islamic Republic's leader while maintaining confidentiality. Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani also mentioned that this committee had introduced two individuals 'secretly' as candidates for the future leadership of the Islamic Republic after discussions with several hundred people. In the past year, especially following the news of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's illness, comments from Islamic Republic officials regarding the future leader of the country have increased. Khamenei himself has made several recommendations about the selection of the future leader over the past year. For instance, on March 10, 2016, during a meeting with members of the Assembly of Experts, he advised that there should be no 'embarrassment or expediency' in selecting the future leader. He also stated on January 9 of the same year that 'the Assembly of Experts is supposed to choose a leader when the current leader is no longer present, who can stand against the enemy's onslaught, show courage, and continue the path of Imam.' The election regulations of the Assembly of Experts 'will change.' The spokesperson of the Assembly's board also announced that a new election law for this Assembly is being prepared and may be approved in the upcoming Assembly of Experts meeting. He identified the age of the members of the Assembly of Experts as one of the potential changes in this law, adding, 'The minimum and maximum age of a member of the Assembly should be logical.' He further stated, 'The composition of the Assembly of Experts should be such that when they reach a sensitive and critical election, the people trust them.' According to the law, changes to the election law of the Assembly of Experts are within the Assembly's own authority. Following the Assembly of Experts elections held last year, reports emerged about the possibility of changing the election law of this Assembly. In these elections, a campaign called 'negative voting' was formed with the aim of removing Ahmad Jannati, Mohammad Yazdi, and Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi from the future composition of the Assembly of Experts. This campaign succeeded in removing Mohammad Yazdi and Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi from the future composition of the Assembly of Experts.