The Israeli military posted in Farsi on X that it will pursue any successor to Iran's reported slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom it said was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes. The message warned it would target individuals involved in appointing a new leader, referring to the clerical body charged with selecting the next supreme leader. The warning was issued as that clerical assembly prepared to meet to choose Iran's successor.
Israeli Military Vows To Target Any Successor To Iran's Khamenei After Reports He Was Killed
Iranian newspapers with cover photos of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are displayed, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, in Tehran, Iran, March 2, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
The Israeli military said it would continue to target anyone it identifies as a successor to Iran's reported slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom it said was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The statement, posted in Farsi on X, singled out members of the clerical body charged with selecting the Islamic Republic's next supreme leader.
Warning Issued in Farsi on X
In a Farsi-language post on the platform X, the military said it would pursue anyone who attempts to appoint or serve as Khamenei's successor. The message specifically referenced the clerical body responsible for choosing the country's supreme leader, which was preparing to convene.
Context
The warning was published as that clerical assembly prepared to meet to select Iran's next supreme leader. Reuters reported the military post and the timing of the statement; the claim that Khamenei was killed is described in the same reports as having been attributed to U.S. and Israeli strikes.
What This Means
The statement signals a direct public threat by the Israeli military against individuals associated with Iran's succession process. It escalates tensions surrounding Iran's leadership transition and could affect regional security dynamics as the clerical body moves forward with its deliberations.
Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Muhammad Al Gebaly; editing by Bernadette Baum and Louise Heavens.
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