State of the World from NPR Who will be Iran’s next leader?; How Ukraine might help defend the Gulf
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Mar 5, 2026 
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Mojtaba Khamenei As Continuity Candidate
- Mojtaba Khamenei Is The Likely Continuity Candidate for Supreme Leader.
- Jackie Northam notes Mojtaba's IRGC ties and role in his father's office make him the strongest status-quo choice if the Council of Experts wants continuity.
Khamenei's Death Forces Regime Transformation
- Iran's Regime Faces Structural Change After Khamenei's Death.
- Ali Vaiz (cited by Jackie Northam) says the second republic is gone and no successor can restore legitimacy without fundamental reforms.
IRGC Likely To Dominate Postsuccession Politics
- The Revolutionary Guards Will Likely Gain More Power Under Any New Leader.
- Jonathan Panikoff explains the IRGC has expanded into the economy and military, making a new supreme leader probably deferential or ceremonial.