Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Coma? Exploring Succession Plans Amid Rising Tensions with Israel

According to reports, Ali Khamenei is in ill health and may hand over control to his son Mojtaba to ensure a peaceful transition. Secret talks have been held to formalize the succession, prompting concerns about possible protests against the undemocratic procedure. 

Iran's leadership is poised to change dramatically this year, as tensions with Israel escalate and the possibility of a larger Middle East war looms. According to speculation, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has gone into a coma and is still ' seriously unwell'. Officials are thought to have chosen a successor for the 85-year-old during a covert meeting last month. 

According to rumors, Tehran covertly selected its successor in late September, with the ill Ayatollah Ali Khamenei potentially abdicating before his death. According to Iran International, his son Mojtaba Khamenei will take over as Supreme Leader while his father is still alive. 

Several social media posts now say that Khamenei has fallen into a coma, despite no official confirmation of his condition. The Iranian leader was last seen on November 7 speaking at the sixth session of the Imam Khomeini Hussainiyah's Assembly of Experts of Leadership. Before that, he had met with university students in Tehran to commemorate Students' Day on November 2. 

On September 26, 60 members of the Iranian Assembly of Experts convened in secret to meet Khamenei's demand. They were instructed to decide on succession immediately and in strictest confidence. The candidate and method were both faced with opposition, and accounts indicate that Khamenei and his representatives made direct threats. The possibility of huge public protests further fueled the demand for concealment. 

A New York Times piece on October 27 backed up the notion, alleging Khamenei was suffering from a serious medical condition and reiterating claims that his son Mojtaba would succeed him. 

When Khamenei became Supreme Leader in 1989, he was already President of Iran. He is the Middle East's longest-serving head of state. Mojtaba has taken on an increasingly important role in Iranian decisions, surpassing significant contenders like the late President Ebrahim Raisi. Despite his lack of expertise and absence from any formal government roles, his appointment has been a foregone conclusion. 

According to sources, Khamenei intends to abdicate and pass over the reins during his lifetime to ensure a peaceful transition, so preempting any dissent or protests that may arise after his death.