The Ayatollah is Dead. Who Will Replace Him?

Israel kills Iran’s Supreme Leader in a 60-second strike. With Khamenei dead, who takes power next—and can the regime survive war, protests, and looming U.S.-Israeli pressure? Sources https://theconversation.com/trump-and-netanyahu-want-regime-change-but-irans-regime-was-built-for-survival-a-long-war-is-now-likely-277193 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/02/world/video/pete-hegseth-pentagon-iran-strikes-digvid https://archive.is/JMSQP https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/02/world/video/pete-hegseth-pentagon-iran-strikes-digvid https://openthemagazine.com/world/the-funeral-trap-how-iran-is-weaponising-40-days-of-mourning https://www.iranintl.com/en/202602288551 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/1/iran-begins-40-day-mourning-after-khamenei-killed-in-us-israeli-attack https://archive.is/pIefY https://archive.is/pIefY https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/2026/03/02/iran-israel-us-war-khamenei-successor-supreme-leader/d4c9e20e-1644-11f1-aef0-0aac8e8e94db_story.html https://thehill.com/policy/international/5763740-larijani-trump-iran-conflict/ https://theconversation.com/despite-massive-us-attack-and-death-of-ayatollah-regime-change-in-iran-is-unlikely-277180

Fronts Staff • March 3, 2026