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.



France Won’t Hesitate to Restore UN Sanctions on Iran if No Deal, Says Foreign Minister 

France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot speaks during a stakeout outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot speaks during a stakeout outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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France Won’t Hesitate to Restore UN Sanctions on Iran if No Deal, Says Foreign Minister 

France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot speaks during a stakeout outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)
France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot speaks during a stakeout outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, April 28, 2025. (Reuters)

France will not think twice about reimposing United Nations sanctions on Iran if negotiations to reach a deal over its nuclear program do not succeed, its foreign minister told the UN Security Council late on Monday.

France, Britain and Germany - the "E3" - are parties to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that expires in October and have the power to initiate its mechanism for reimposing sanctions, called snapback, at the Security Council.

"It goes without saying that when the Iranian nuclear deal expires in a few weeks, if European security interests are not guaranteed, we will not hesitate for a single second to reapply all the sanctions that were lifted 10 years ago," Jean-Noel Barrot said.

Iran and the United States, which quit the 2015 deal and reimposed its own sanctions, have been holding talks on the decades-old standoff.

US President Donald Trump has said he is confident of clinching a new pact that would block Iran's path to a nuclear bomb, although Iran says its program is purely civilian.

According to diplomats, the E3 countries are now looking to trigger snapback by August, rather than June, if no substantial deal can be found by then. The opportunity expires on October 18.

"These sanctions would then permanently close off Iranian access to technology, investment, and the European market, with devastating effects on the country's economy. This is not what we want, and that is why I solemnly call on Iran to take the necessary decisions today to avoid the worst," Barrot said.

Iran has proposed meeting the E3, possibly in Rome this Friday, if talks resume with the United States, four diplomats said on Monday, cautioning that the E3 have yet to respond.