Senior Clerics Question New Supreme Leader's Fitness Amid IRGC Power Surge

Prominent clerical figures within Iran's establishment, including former interim head of the Supreme Leader's office Ali Asghar Hejazi and Guardian Council member Ali Reza Arafi, have reportedly voiced criticisms regarding the health and administrative capacity of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, suggesting a decline in the stature of the leadership.

According to information obtained by Iran International from informed sources, these influential clerics contend that the current situation, exacerbated by the new Leader's apparent inability to maintain regular engagement with governing institutions, is detrimental to the regime's authority structure. Some religious figures are reportedly advocating for the transfer of supreme leadership powers to a temporary council amidst escalating internal disputes.

Hejazi and Arafi are noted for their opposition to the expanding influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the increasing role of its commanders in high-level political and military decision-making, particularly in light of ongoing regional conflicts.

These developments follow the death of the former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, during a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on February 28th. A temporary leadership council, comprising interim President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i, and Ali Reza Arafi, was initially formed but dissolved upon Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment.

Since his official designation, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, with no new photographs or video footage released. The circulation of his first written message on March 12th further fueled speculation regarding his health and governing capability. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in the strikes and is currently in hiding, unable to make public appearances.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly dismissed the new Leader as a "puppet in the hands of the IRGC," highlighting the military institution's sway over the state apparatus. Sources indicate that tensions between clerical and political officials on one side, and IRGC commanders on the other, have markedly intensified following Ali Khamenei's death and the subsequent naming of his son as successor, suggesting the political vacuum has not yet been fully resolved.