News Desk (MNN); Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has appointed Ali Larijani to take significant control of key state affairs and positioned him as his likely successor amid escalating tensions with the United States, according to a report by The New York Times.
Citing statements from senior Iranian officials, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and former diplomats, the report said Tehran is preparing for the possibility of war and internal unrest by empowering Larijani to oversee critical political and security matters.
Since early January, following extensive domestic protests and growing threats from Washington, Larijani, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has effectively assumed control of sensitive state responsibilities. He is also reportedly supervising ongoing negotiations with the United States and has the full confidence of Khamenei.
The report said Khamenei has established a multi-layered succession system for key military and government positions, naming several potential replacements for each role to ensure continuity if senior leaders are incapacitated or killed. It added that only qualified senior Shiite clerics are eligible to become Supreme Leader under Iran’s constitution, meaning Larijani could serve as an interim authority rather than permanent supreme leader.
Iran has also reportedly placed its armed forces on high alert and deployed defence assets across strategic regions, while continuing diplomatic engagement over its nuclear programme.
