Member of the Assembly of Experts: No Individual is Absolutely Proposed for Future Leadership

Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts, stated in an interview on Saturday, February 25, that "absolutely no specific individual or individuals have been proposed for future leadership." The spokesperson of the Assembly described reports citing him about the formation of a secret committee in the Assembly for selecting Iran's future leader as a "misinterpretation" and "misuse" by the media. Two years ago, media outlets reported based on Khatami's interview with ISNA about the establishment of a secret committee in the Assembly to evaluate qualified individuals for this position. Khatami had mentioned that only Ayatollah Khamenei, the current leader, could access the committee's information, stating that if he wished, "the names of these individuals would be provided to them." In his recent interview with ISNA, Khatami emphasized that "thank God, our leadership is in the most vibrant state and is fond of sports and walking, but it is natural to think about the future of the system as well." However, according to this member of the Assembly, "the only figure who currently fits the leadership role is only and only the Supreme Leader." He further stated that as a member of the Assembly's Research Commission, he emphasized that "not a single individual has been proposed in this regard." Nevertheless, Khatami added: "The Assembly must have its strategies and measures in this area, and it does." In explaining these measures, Khatami said: "A good regulation has been written for the Assembly." According to him, "before the regulation was drafted, we decided to organize the scattered materials that existed over the past two years, and this happened." This member of the Assembly emphasized: "The Constitution outlines characteristics for a leader such as being a manager, prudent, courageous, etc." He also mentioned that during one of the meetings with the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei requested the Assembly members to "determine the criteria for leadership." According to Ahmad Khatami, this request from the Iranian leader was "identified after review in the Research Commission." Based on Article 5 of the Iranian Constitution, "in the absence of the Mahdi, the leadership and the imamate of the community in the Islamic Republic of Iran is entrusted to a just and pious jurist, aware of the time, courageous, managerial, and prudent." Furthermore, according to Article 107 of the Iranian Constitution, the selection of the leader is entrusted to the Assembly of Experts, which Article 109 of the Constitution confirms the conditions and characteristics of the leader. According to this article, "the necessary scientific qualifications for issuing fatwas in various fields of jurisprudence," "the necessary justice and piety for leading the Islamic community," and "correct political and social insight, prudence, courage, management, and sufficient power for leadership" are among the conditions and characteristics of leadership. The issue of succession for Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has gained attention in recent years due to reports and news about the leader's illness and treatments. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei underwent surgery in September 2014, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to media reports within Iran, the reason for the surgery was cited as a "prostate issue." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had previously undergone gallbladder surgery in 1991 due to another ailment. The public announcement of the surgery raises questions about the beginning of the project to determine a successor for Ayatollah Khamenei. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran was born in April 1939, is 79 years old, and has been the leader since June 1989, following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, after being elected by the Assembly and making changes to the Constitution, serving as the leader for about thirty years.