Khomeini’s Grandson Emerges as Frontrunner to Succeed Khamenei as Iran’s Supreme Leader

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the U.S. and Israel strikes has led to discussions about who will succeed him as Iran’s next supreme leader. The country is currently being run by an interim leadership council while clerics deliberate over potential candidates to replace Khamenei.

Hassan Khomeini, 53, is considered a frontrunner to become Iran’s next supreme leader. He is the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Hassan Khomeini is described as the ‘most prominent’ of the 15 grandchildren of Khomeini. What makes him different from others is that, despite being a firm believer in the Islamic regime, he is viewed as a reformist and progressive theologian.

His views are in contrast to those of other potential candidates, including Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is seen as a hardliner. Hassan Khomeini has close ties to reformist politicians such as former president Mohammed Khatami and has expressed progressive views on several issues.

He has not held public office, but is still considered an important figure in the regime because of his lineage and his ‘relatively moderate’ approach within the clerical establishment. Though he remains loyal to the revolutionary system, he has shown openness to women's rights, music, and social freedoms.

While reformists in Iran suggested that he run for president in 2012, he declined. Hassan Khomeini later tried to enter politics in 2015 by running for the Assembly of Experts, the body that appoints the Supreme Leader.

However, the Guardian Council rejected his candidacy, citing that he held the rank of Hojatoleslam rather than Ayatollah. Experts saw the move as the Council’s way of dismissing a progressive member.

In 2021, the council barred reformist candidates from running for president. Hassan Khomeini then called them out by saying, “You can't pick someone for me and tell me to vote for them!”

Contrary to Khamenei, Hassan Khomeini has a relatively flexible approach to the West and expressed his support for the 2015 nuclear agreement that limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

He has also been critical of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the past. In 2008, the cleric called out the army’s increasing interference in Iran's politics and said, “Those who claim to be followers of the Imam [Ruhollah Khomeini] should follow his order that the military must stay out of politics.”

Despite his reformist views, Hassan Khomeini firmly believed in Khamenei's leadership and called Israel an ‘evil’ country. During the June 2025 war between Iran and Israel, Hassan requested people to follow the Supreme Leader.

He stated, “Instead of creating divisions and strife, we should move in accordance with the guidelines and follow the wise leader.” After Khamenei’s death on February 28, he released a condolence message and called the deceased a ‘hero of the people of Iran and Muslims.’

Regarding his personal life, Hassan Khomeini is married to Sayyeda Fatima, the daughter of an Ayatollah, and has four children with her. He speaks Arabic and English and currently serves as the custodian of Khomeini’s mausoleum in Tehran.

According to his biography, he played football until he was 21 and later studied Islamic theology in Qom. While Hassan has come to spotlight as a potential leader of Iran, the Assembly of Experts will ultimately decide who will assume leadership after Khamenei.