The son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba, is being tipped as his father's potential successor in Iran, but there has been no official word from Tehran.
According to a New York Times report, the announcement could be made as early as today, citing Iranian officials.
As supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stood above the president and had the final say over Iran’s armed forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The report said clerics held two virtual meetings on Tuesday, but that some have reservations about declaring Mojtaba as the new supreme leader, fearing it could make him a US and Israeli target.
There have been reservations in the past about naming Mojtaba as successor to his father because it would mean the state resembles a monarchy, which the Islamic revolution of 1979 had toppled.
The New York Times report comes after opposition outlet Iran International claimed the Assembly of Experts had already chosen Mojtaba. There has been no official confirmation from Iran's government.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement: “Any leader appointed by the Iranian terrorist regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people – will be an unequivocal target for elimination. No matter what his name is or where he hides.
“We will continue to act with all our might, together with our American partners, to crush the regime's capabilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow and replace it.”
One of the plans the Pentagon had presented to US President Donald Trump as he was weighing up his options, before deciding on war on Saturday, included killing Mr Khamenei and his son Mojtaba, who was seen as a potential successor, a Trump adviser said. “What the president chooses no one knows. I don't think he knows,” the adviser added.
Mr Trump chose to launch Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, in co-ordination with Israel. Joint US-Israeli strikes rained on Tehran, killing senior military commanders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The attacks also killed Iran’s defence minister, commander-in-chief of the IRGC and the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces. The new defence minister was later killed just two days after taking office.
The IRGC announced what it said was the “most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, as Tehran pledged to retaliate for the killing of Mr Khamenei by launching “extensive missile and drone” attacks on Israel and 27 US bases across the region.
