Iran's Leadership Vacuum: Uncertain Succession Amid Widespread Unrest

Iran’s ruling clerical system has no obvious heir to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as he nears the end of his term, and the regime faces a murky path through a new leadership transition amid ongoing protests and economic strain. With reformists jailed or sidelined and the opposition fragmented, candidates like Mojtaba Khamenei or exiled Reza Pahlavi are discussed, but internal clerical support and public appetite for change remain uncertain; the IRGC could preserve its power in a transition, which many analysts warn could be turbulent rather than peaceful or democratic.