Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, cowers in a bunker, dodging assassination fears, as his own officials scheme to topple him, the Daily Mail reported.
The 86-year-old’s grip on power wanes amid U.S. and Israeli strikes, with whispers of succession growing louder. This isn’t leadership—it’s a desperate scramble for survival.
Iranian officials, rattled by U.S. intervention in Israel’s clash with Iran on June 22, 2025, are mulling Khamenei’s ouster, a plot fueled by his age, health woes, and 11 days of relentless conflict. Talks of replacing him predate the strikes, but the chaos has turned whispers into shouts. The regime’s old guard senses the endgame.
Khamenei’s last public words came on June 18, 2025, before he vanished into hiding, cutting electronic ties for safety. Three insiders told the New York Times he’s spooked by assassination threats, bunkered with family under the Revolutionary Guards’ Vali-ye Amr unit. Sounds like a leader who’s already checked out.
A three-man committee, set up by Khamenei two years ago, is now racing to name a successor. Five sources told Reuters he’s named three potential heirs, with devotion to Iran’s revolutionary principles as the litmus test. Yet, they’re eyeing a moderate face to calm foreign and domestic storms—pragmatism over dogma.
Two names stand out: Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, a hardliner echoing his father, and Hassan Khomeini, 53, a reformist with the Revolutionary Guards’ respect. Khomeini’s conciliatory vibe, boosted by his lineage, makes him a dark horse since June 2025. Mojtaba, despite rumors, isn’t on the shortlist—too divisive, perhaps.
“I humbly stand ready to serve,” Khomeini declared on June 21, 2025, positioning himself as Iran’s unifier. Nice try, but reformist charm won’t erase decades of regime baggage. The leadership is betting on optics, not substance, to survive this mess.
U.S. strikes, kicking off June 22, 2025, hammered Iran’s nuclear sites with bunker-buster bombs, prompting Trump’s Truth Social boast: “Regime change” for a “GREAT” Iran. His post reeks of bravado, but it’s catnip for a regime already paranoid about Western plots. Iran’s vow of “heavy consequences” sounds more like bluster than strategy.
Iranian state TV’s Mehdi Khanalizadeh warned 50,000 U.S. soldiers could die, a wild claim meant to rally the faithful. Analysts scoff at Iran’s military stamina against both Israel and the U.S.—their bark’s louder than their bite. The regime’s threats are a distraction from its crumbling facade.
Israel upped the ante on June 24, 2025, hitting Tehran’s military headquarters and Fordow nuclear facility, killing hundreds of Revolutionary Guards, including top commanders. These losses could snarl any power transition, leaving Iran’s elite scrambling. The Guards’ loyalty is pivotal, and their ranks are thinning fast.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on June 23, 2025, pledged support, slamming U.S. and Israeli “aggression.” His words to Iran’s Abbas Araghchi—“unprovoked aggression”—are rich coming from the Kremlin’s war playbook. Russia’s mediation dreams fizzled, and its backing feels more like posturing than power.
The Kremlin accused the U.S. of endangering global safety, but analysts see Putin’s support as a geopolitical jab, not a game-changer. Iran’s military is stretched thin, and Russia’s promises won’t refill their arsenals. It’s a lifeline made of straw.
Khamenei’s team insists on stability, planning to name a successor instantly if he’s killed. “Khamenei’s days are numbered,” one official told The Atlantic, hinting he’s already a figurehead. The regime’s desperate to project control, but cracks are showing.
Trump’s June 23, 2025, claim that Iran’s nuclear sites were “obliterated” may be exaggerated, but the damage is real. Iran’s retaliation threats, including targeting an “expanded scope,” sound hollow against superior firepower. Their bravado can’t mask a regime on the ropes.
Israeli strikes on June 24, 2025, reported by Iranian media, further gutted Fordow’s nuclear ambitions. The loss of Guards commanders complicates succession, as loyalty and competence dwindle. Iran’s revolutionary dream is fading under missile fire.
Khamenei’s office and the Assembly of Experts stay silent, fueling speculation. The regime’s clinging to revolutionary purity, but a moderate successor signals they’re hedging bets. Iran’s future hangs on a knife’s edge, and the West is watching closely.
