Khamenei Makes Public Appearance after Absence, Amid Heated Debate on His Successor

Iran's Supreme Leader leader Ali Khamenei (Khamenei's Official website)
Iran's Supreme Leader leader Ali Khamenei (Khamenei's Official website)
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Khamenei Makes Public Appearance after Absence, Amid Heated Debate on His Successor

Iran's Supreme Leader leader Ali Khamenei (Khamenei's Official website)
Iran's Supreme Leader leader Ali Khamenei (Khamenei's Official website)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei made a public appearance after over a week of absence and participated in a religious ceremony with university students on Saturday.

Khamenei's official website published his pictures during the ceremony, and state television showed him standing, addressing the attendees in a steady voice about the significance of the Arbaeen anniversary.

The New York Times said Friday, quoting four people familiar with Khamenei's health, that the Supreme Leader canceled all meetings and public appearances last week after falling gravely ill and is currently on bed rest under observation by a team of doctors.

The adviser to Iran's negotiating team in the nuclear talks, Mohammad Marandi, condemned the newspaper's report, saying it is biased. Marandi's father heads Khamenei's medical team.

Meanwhile, two sources close to Khamenei denied to Reuters on Friday that his health had deteriorated, responding to questions about his health.

Khamenei had not appeared in public since he met followers in Tehran on Sept. 3, sparking rumors on social media that he was ill.

Last week, official Iranian agencies circulated reports of his meeting with a crowd of athletes, but his official website did not publish any picture or news of the meeting.

He also did not meet with members of the Assembly of Experts, a meeting that takes place every six months after 48-hour sessions between influential clerics.

The 88-member council is involved in political and religious activities and selects a successor to the Supreme Leader in the event of his death or failure to perform his duties.

A former president of Iran and protégé of Supreme Leader Khomeini, Khamenei assumed the position of the country's top religious, political, and military authority in 1989.

- Khamenei's succession

The absence of a meeting between the Supreme Leader and the Assembly of Experts sparked a debate about Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, being groomed to be the next leader.

On Aug. 8, the Iranian reformist leader, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, warned of a plan for "hereditary leadership."

Mousavi, who has been under house arrest since February 2011, referred to the possibility of Khamenei's son succeeding him.

Khamenei's office did not comment on Mousavi's warning, but the Revolutionary Guards' media vigorously attacked him because of his criticism of the Religious Leader's interference in the Syrian war without addressing the issue of succession.

Later, Mousavi's warning was taken seriously after the Qom Seminary website referred to him for the first time as Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.

"Ayatollah" is a religious title given to the clerics of the first rank according to Iran's Constitution, which was considered an indication that Mojtaba might inherit the position.

- Obstruction of Religious References

Following the cancellation of the Khamenei meeting with the Assembly of Experts, reports claimed an "incomplete quorum" after 30 members did not attend the conference.

A report claimed Khamenei's son met with several high-ranking authorities in the Qom Seminary, including Makarem Shirazi.

According to the sources, the religious references stressed the necessity of transforming Wilayat al-Faqih into a leadership shura, not led by one individual, which created a shock.

They noted that consultations among some members of the Assembly led to boycotting the meeting, which is held every six months.

- Shadow Person

Mojtaba's role in his father's office during the 2005 presidential elections was highlighted when reformist leader Mehdi Karroubi warned against his interference in the elections in favor of one of the candidates, in reference to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In the 2009 elections, Mojtaba faced accusations of suppressing protesters and interfering in the polls.

In December 2018, Karroubi sent a strong message to Khamenei, asking him to take responsibility for his actions over 30 years, saying he did not prevent Mojtaba's interference in elections.

- Similarities

The idea of ​​succession gained traction after increased chances of President Ebrahim Raisi assuming the position of the third leader.

Raisi won the presidential elections last year without being contested by a real competitor. The presidency was his second prominent position after Khamenei issued a decree naming him the head of the judiciary.

The Revolutionary Guards media began using the title "Ayatollah" for Raisi, and in April 2016, commanders of the Revolutionary Guards submitted a report about the internal and regional activities of the Guards to Raisi.

The move was interpreted as "a pledge of allegiance from the IRGC commanders to a rising candidate who is a Supreme Leader in training."

Last August, Khamenei vigorously defended the government's performance against criticism of worsening the economic conditions and prolonging talks to restore the nuclear deal.

Despite the similarities between Raisi and Khamenei before he took office, some analysts believe that Raisi's current performance could lead to a decline in his chances of reaching the highest position in the country.

- The Reformist

The grandson of the first Supreme Leader, Hassan Khomeini, who has close ties to the reformist camp, is a third candidate for the position.

Khomeini enjoys the support of religious circles close to his grandfather's establishment, especially those concerned about Khamenei's rule style.

He tried to boost his role in religious circles by running for the Assembly of Experts elections in February 2016, but he was excluded for an incomplete file.

Khomeini again sought a political position during the 2021 presidential elections, but Khamenei said his candidacy would not be in the regime's interests.

Supporters of Khomeini's approach, including supporters of a "leadership shura," are relying on Hassan's candidacy.

Former President Mohammad Khatami, former President Hassan Rouhani, and Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri are the most prominent supporters of this movement.



UK Dreams of US Trade Deal before Trump Tariffs

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) met with US President Donald Trump (R) at the White House in February 2025. CARL COURT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) met with US President Donald Trump (R) at the White House in February 2025. CARL COURT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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UK Dreams of US Trade Deal before Trump Tariffs

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) met with US President Donald Trump (R) at the White House in February 2025. CARL COURT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) met with US President Donald Trump (R) at the White House in February 2025. CARL COURT / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Britain's government is hoping to reach a last-minute post-Brexit trade agreement with Washington to avoid -- or at least mitigate -- more tariffs set to be announced on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump.
Current position?
Britain has set out to strike a trade deal with the United States since departing the European Union at the start of the decade, but had been unsuccessful under the previous Conservative government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, leader of the Labor party that won power in July, visited Washington at the end of February and came away hopeful an accord could be reached.
Trump himself held out the prospect of a "great" deal that could avoid tariffs on Britain, hailing Starmer as a tough negotiator.
Talks have continued, with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds recently visiting Washington, while Starmer and Trump took up the baton in a phone call earlier this week.
It is thought that the UK government wants to agree some kind of trade deal ahead of April 2 -- termed "Liberation Day" by Trump, when he is set to unveil supposedly "reciprocal" tariffs, tailored to different trading partners.
It would follow Trump's announcement this week of imposing steep tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts, vowing retaliation as trade tensions intensify and price hikes appear on the horizon.
"We're engaged in discussions with the United States about mitigating the impact of tariffs," Starmer said heading into the weekend.
Finance minister Rachel Reeves on Thursday said Britain would not seek to "escalate" trade wars, in contrast to strong comments by other major economic powers that hinted at retaliation in response to the auto-sector tariffs.
What kind of deal?
Downing Street has described a potential agreement as an "economic prosperity deal", indicating it will fall short of a free trade deal ultimately sought by London.
As it stands, the United States is the UK's single largest country trading partner.
"Some type of arrangement that might let the UK escape some tariffs is possible but it would not be a full-scale trade deal," Jonathan Portes, professor of economics at King's College London, told AFP.
"Brexit is a double edged sword -- it gives us more flexibility and we can negotiate with a view to our own interests.
"But equally, it means we have less weight than as part of the EU and moreover we cannot afford to agree to anything that complicates our trading relationship with the EU," Portes added.
What could the UK concede?
UK media has reported that London may scrap a tax on tech giants to avert US tariffs under Trump and clear a pathway to a trade deal.
Starmer in response stressed that "in the end, our national interest has to come first, which means all options are on the table".
His spokesman added that the UK will "make sure that businesses pay their fair share of tax, including businesses in the digital sector".
The digital tax is currently worth about £800 million ($1 billion) annually to the UK Treasury.
Reynolds conceded that the digital tax is not "something that can never change or we can never have a conversation about".
Portes, along with David Henig, director of the UK Trade Policy Project, pointed to the risk of altering Britain's tax policy in return for a promise from Trump over tariff exemptions.
"If Trump keeps his word and the UK gains significant benefits as a result, then eliminating a tax could be a good deal," Henig told AFP.
"That, however, is quite a gamble."