Iran's supreme leadership remains centered on Mojtaba Khamenei, who was selected by the Assembly of Experts in March 2026 to succeed his father Ali Khamenei after the latter's death in February U.S.-Israeli strikes. Mojtaba has issued only limited written statements and has not appeared publicly, prompting persistent questions about his health and authority amid an active conflict involving naval blockades, sanctions, and talks over the Strait of Hormuz. President Masoud Pezeshkian has affirmed Mojtaba's fitness and decision-making role in recent interviews. A late-September report citing regime sources described internal discussions among officials and IRGC figures about selecting a replacement once hostilities end and conditions stabilize, highlighting procedural factors such as Assembly of Experts approval that could influence any near-term transition.