Iranian Opposition Figures Reject Mojtaba Khamenei Succession

Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the Washington Office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and Ali Safavi, a member of the NCRI’s Foreign Affairs Committee, said efforts to elevate Mojtaba Khamenei to power represent a last attempt to preserve the clerical establishment after the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In a joint statement, the two Iranian opposition figures argued that transferring authority to Mojtaba Khamenei would not stabilize the political system but instead highlight what they described as the regime’s internal crisis.

Jafarzadeh said the move reflects panic within the ruling establishment rather than strength. He claimed Mojtaba Khamenei has long played a behind-the-scenes role in shaping security policies and overseeing institutions responsible for suppressing dissent.

According to Jafarzadeh, internal divisions among senior figures in the political and security apparatus have deepened in recent years, making any succession plan increasingly contentious.

He also pointed to anti-government slogans heard during protests across Iranian cities, saying they show that many demonstrators view both father and son as representing the same political system.

Ali Safavi echoed that view, describing the proposed succession as an attempt to turn the country’s leadership into a hereditary structure. He argued that such a model would not resolve the broader political crisis facing the country.

Safavi referred to the political program proposed by Maryam Rajavi, leader of the Iranian opposition coalition, which calls for a democratic republic based on separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear policy.

He said the opposition believes a transitional administration would be needed to manage any political change and prepare the ground for free elections.

Safavi also pointed to what he described as organized opposition networks inside Iran, which he said continue to challenge the country’s security forces and mobilize protests.

Both Jafarzadeh and Safavi concluded that the current confrontation between the government and its opponents represents a decisive moment in Iran’s political future, arguing that the outcome will determine whether the country moves toward a democratic system or remains under authoritarian rule.