Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday warned that any Iranian leader appointed to replace Ali Khamenei would be considered a “target for elimination”, according to The Times of Israel.
In a sharply worded statement, Katz said any figure chosen by what he described as the “Iranian terror regime” to continue policies aimed at destroying Israel and threatening the United States and regional countries would face direct consequences.
“Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, threaten the US and the free world and the countries of the region, and oppress the Iranian people, will be an unequivocal target for elimination. It does not matter what his name is or where he hides,” Katz said.
He added that Israel would continue to act “with full force” alongside its American partners to dismantle the regime’s capabilities and create conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow and replace it.
Succession Reports Fuel Tensions
The warning follows reports in Israeli media that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been selected as his successor and is set to assume the role of Supreme Leader.
Senior Israeli officials told Ynet that Iran’s Assembly of Experts is expected to formally announce Mojtaba’s appointment in the coming hours. However, there has been no independent confirmation from Iranian state media.
Mojtaba is widely reported to have played a significant role in managing his father’s office and is said to maintain close ties with senior figures in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its elite Quds Force.
Israeli media have portrayed him as holding a more hardline stance than his father and as being closely linked to violent crackdowns on protesters inside Iran.
In November 2019, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mojtaba, designating him for representing the then Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never having been elected or formally appointed to a government role.
