• Hassan Khomeini seen as potential successor after Khamenei death
• Assembly of Experts to deliberate next Supreme Leader
• Khomeini linked to reformists, holds no government post
• Previously barred from Assembly of Experts election
The assassination of the Iranian Supreme Leader has put back into the spotlight the light of clerics in Tehran making the right decisions as the succession plan. The death of Khamenei in a U.S.-Israeli attack has put in a new speed deliberation in the Assembly of Experts, the clerical organization with constitutional responsibility of choosing the next Supreme Leader.
Even though succession deliberations had been brewing long due to the old age of Khamenei, public understanding on such possible contestants had been vague. The opening created prematurely has stiffened scrutiny on personalities perceived to be in the position to close factional divide in the establishment.
The most high-profile of the 15 grandchildren of the late Ruhollah Khomeini is Hassan Khomeini who is 53. A middle-rank cleric who is known as Hojatoleslam, holds a ceremonial, but symbolically dominating position as the caretaker of the mausoleum of his grandfather in southern Tehran. He has never served in a government office.
A Relative Moderate Within The Clerical Establishment
Khomeini was generally perceived as a moderate among clergy in Iran. He is also close to reformist elements, former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani; both sought to engage in relations with the western powers in their regimes.
In 2021, he was publicly critical on the decision of the Guardian Council to disqualify multiple reformist presidential candidates to run in the presidential election, which cleared the way to hardliner Ebrahim Raisi to win the election.
You cannot pick somebody to me and tell me to vote him! Khomeini expressed his frustration with the vetting process when he commented on the same at the time. He also demanded to be transparent after the death of Mahsa Amini in the morality police custody in 2022. He denounced the authorities as they should be transparent and accurately explain what had become of this 22 year old girl in the name of guidance and education, a protest that was being felt all over the country. Simultaneously, Khomeini has always declared his fidelity on the basis of the Islamic Republic structure.
His involvement in pro-government demonstrations and tracks against protesters who aimed at the leadership during times of upheaval over the last several years showed that he was on the same side with the system set up in 1979.
Hampered Dominations And Coercive Systems
Ten years ago Khomeini wanted to be elected into the Assembly of Experts, where the Supreme Leader was appointed and supervised. His candidacy was disqualified by the Guardian Council although they had initially been encouraging of it due to doubt over his qualifications in the clergy. Political observers largely understood the move to prevent a likely voice representative of the reformist wing of the succession body, even achieving any power.
His clerical status, which was one level lower than Ayatollah was viewed as an informal challenge. Khomeini has occasionally spoken of this place of the military in politics. In an interview in 2008, he cited an order given by his grandfather that the armed forces must not intervene in politics against which some have interpreted a directive towards the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, he has been said to uphold the working relations within the Guards.
He was in favor of the nuclear deal that had been negotiated during Rouhani and temporarily lifted the sanctions in exchange of restrictions to the nuclear programme of Iran but was abandoned later by the United States. He has also addressed the economic pressures on the Iranians who are put under sanctions.
Khomeini has seen him to be a hero who would always remain the hero of the people of Iran and Muslims, calling on the nation to unite in the wake of the death of Khamenei. With the clerics handling the succession issue, the name of Khomeini is likely to appear among the people who could succeed but not an announcement. The process of selection is an in-house endeavour of the religious leadership set up of Iran and the resultant process will determine the Islamic Republic line of future.
