Image: from Karim Sadjadpour X@ksadjadpour
TEHRAN — High-ranking Iranian officials have confirmed that the Assembly of Experts has officially elected a new Supreme Leader to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike eight days ago. However, the identity of the new leader remains a closely guarded state secret as the conflict with the United States and Israel enters its ninth day of intensive combat.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, a member of the clerical panel responsible for the succession, told state media that an election had been concluded. Despite the vote, the Assembly is reportedly deadlocked on how to announce the news. According to reports, some members are pushing for an immediate public declaration to stabilize the country, while others argue that a secondary session is required to ensure the safety of the appointee.
The secrecy is fueled by a direct threat from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In a pointed post on X in Farsi, the Israeli military warned that it would “pursue every person” involved in the appointment process, effectively marking any successor for assassination.
The political development comes as a “new wave” of strikes continues to pound the region. On Saturday night, Israeli forces targeted civil industrial infrastructure for the first time, striking oil storage facilities in Tehran. The resulting infernos created pillars of fire visible for miles across the Iranian capital.
In a broadening of the “tit-for-tat” infrastructure war, the conflict has now moved to vital water resources:
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Bahrain: A desalination plant was struck by Iranian-linked forces.
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Qeshm Island: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed a U.S. airstrike damaged a major Iranian desalination facility, warning that the U.S. had “set this precedent” for targeting life-sustaining civilian utilities.
President Donald Trump, who previously stated he intended to have a personal hand in selecting Iran’s future leadership should the current regime “obliterate,” has not yet commented on the Assembly’s secret vote.
The humanitarian toll of the conflict, which began on February 28, has reached staggering levels. Official estimates now place the death toll at over 1,230 in Iran and more than 300 in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, signaled no intention of de-escalation, promising “many surprises” for the next phase of the campaign.