Succession debate flares after critic’s apparent backing of Khamenei’s son

Faezeh Hashemi, a prominent critic of Iran’s ruling system and daughter of former president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, has stunned many by saying she would prefer Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader—if there must be one after his father.

“If a leader is to be chosen after Mr. Khamenei, which will be the case because that’s the law now, I would personally prefer it to be Mojtaba,” she said in a YouTube interview with Abdi Media.

Though she acknowledged his lack of public legitimacy, Hashemi argued that Mojtaba is young, potentially flexible, and better placed than others to push reforms—drawing comparisons to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and his top-down modernization drive.

The idea of Mojtaba succeeding his father has long circulated in conservative circles, often raised by hardliners or figures close to the security apparatus. But hearing it from Hashemi—who is outspokenly secular, reformist, and opposed to clerical rule—has taken many by surprise, triggering fierce debate across the political spectrum.

When asked to choose between Mojtaba Khamenei and exiled prince Reza Pahlavi as a future leader, she declined, saying that decision belongs to the Iranian people and that she advocates a secular government and social democracy.

Her refusal to endorse Pahlavi sparked backlash from some of his supporters on social media, who accused Hashemi of drawing false equivalence between the clerical establishment and the monarchy.

The obscure ‘heir’

Mojtaba Khamenei remains an elusive figure to most Iranians. He has never occupied a formal political role, and little is publicly known about his views.

In September 2024, he unexpectedly suspended his online khārij (advanced jurisprudence) classes, ending a 13-year teaching stint attended by a few hundred students. He claimed the decision had no political motive and said he had not informed his father in advance, but the move nonetheless fueled speculation about his future ambitions.

On the streets, opposition to hereditary succession has been vocal and sustained. Protesters have repeatedly chanted slogans such as “Mojtaba, may you die before becoming Leader,” turning his name into a symbol of unease over dynastic power in a system that claims to reject monarchy.

Still, the idea of him succeeding his 86-year-old father is floated by Tehran’s commentariat from time to time, with frequent references to Mohammed bin Salman.

One vocal advocate of the idea is Abdolreza Davari, a former adviser to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called for an “authoritarian development model” centered on Khamenei’s son.

In interviews and social media posts, Davari has argued that such a model could bridge Iran’s generational divide, revive the economy, and offer limited social liberalization without upending the political order.

But the vision he outlines is deeply polarizing—and widely seen as implausible by critics.

“Is it really possible for someone who has never given a speech, never held public office, and is largely unknown to suddenly become the leader of a nation?” one user, @Mhd1889, posted in response to Davari.