21 Jun , 15:16
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The West is preparing for a change of power in Iran: diplomats secretly discuss Khamenei's successors
According to CBS News, representatives of the US and Europe are holding closed consultations about a possible change of leadership in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Diplomats are actively discussing potential candidates who could take the post of the country's supreme leader.
The central issue of the negotiations is the problem of power succession after the likely departure of 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has continuously led Iran since 1989. Western analysts express serious doubts about the current leader's health condition, which causes growing concern about the future stability of the Islamic republic.
During diplomatic consultations, possible risks associated with Iran's nuclear program, the security of nuclear facilities during a period of political turbulence, as well as the consequences of potential military operations are being considered. Special attention is paid to how the change of power in Tehran might affect the fragile balance of power in the Middle East and relations with Western partners.
The backdrop for these negotiations is the recent escalation of the Iran-Israel confrontation, which began on the night of June 13 with Israel's military operation, to which Iran responded with strikes within 24 hours. In the following days, the conflict escalated into a series of mutual attacks, resulting in human casualties and destruction.
Amid the escalation, some Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, made threats of physically eliminating Khamenei. However, according to media reports, US President Donald Trump vetoed a possible Israeli plan to eliminate the Iranian leader.
