Where is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Iran's Supreme leader names ‘3 successors' amid assassination scare
The move marks a dramatic shift in Iran's power structure as the country faces one of its gravest wartime threats in decades — a two-front war with Israel and US military involvement.
According to the NYT report, Ayatollah Khamenei's son, Mojtaba — a cleric with strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and once widely speculated to be a leading contender — has not been included among the potential successors.
Follow Iran Israel war live updates.
Another prominent figure, former conservative president Ebrahim Raisi, had also been seen as a top candidate before his death in a helicopter crash in 2024, the report said.
Questions on Khamenei's whereabouts have grown after US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday, with President Donald Trump asking Iran to 'end the war' immediately. 'Massive security breach' in Iranian intelligence team
The 86-year-old leader, known for rarely stepping outside his heavily guarded compound in Tehran, has reportedly suspended all electronic communications and now relays instructions only through a trusted aide.
Three Iranian officials familiar with the emergency plans told NYT that this is part of a sweeping wartime protocol aimed at avoiding detection by Israel and the United States, both of which have allegedly warned of a potential assassination plot.
Also Read | Khamenei's circle issues stark warning after US strikes Iran: 'Target naval fleet'
'It is clear that we had a massive security and intelligence breach; there is no denying this,' said Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Parliament Speaker Gen. Mohammad Ghalibaf, in an audio clip obtained by NYT. 'Our senior commanders were all assassinated within one hour.' 865 dead, Over 3000 injured in Iran
Iran-Israel war entered its tenth day on Sunday since Israel's surprise offensive. More than 865 Iranians have reportedly been killed, and 3,396 injured, according to a human rights group cited by The Associated Press.
The strikes have hit deep into Tehran and targeted Iran's nuclear scientists, military bases, and energy infrastructure.
Now with President Donald Trump at the helm, US inserted itself in the middle East conflict with airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran.
Washington launched its powerful B2 bombers, Bunker busters and Tomahawk missile strikes on three of Iran's nuclear sites — including the highly fortified Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan
Also Read | How China, Pak, others reacted to US airstrikes on Iran: 'Catastrophic consequences'
The strike, involving B-2 bombers and long-range assets, marks a significant expansion of hostilities and an aggressive phase of direct US attacks on Iran.
'Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's No. 1 state sponsor of terror,' Trump said in a nationally televised address, a day after US bombed Iran.
Ayatollah Khamenei has reportedly instructed Iran's Assembly of Experts — the powerful clerical body that selects the Supreme Leader — to be prepared to appoint his successor from the three candidates he has named, should he be killed. Typically, such a transition would take months, but Khamenei's directive seeks to ensure a 'quick, orderly transition,' the report notes.
'It is clear that we had a massive security and intelligence breach; there is no denying this,' said Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Parliament Speaker Gen. Mohammad Ghalibaf, in an audio clip obtained by NYT. 'Our senior commanders were all assassinated within one hour.'
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First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
Thailand-Cambodia clashes enter Day 2: Is a war looming large?
Thailand and Cambodia aren't backing down. The two Southeast Asian neighbours began Friday with heavy weapon firing, which has now extended to 12 locations along the disputed border. The clashes have also prompted Thailand's acting PM to say that it could lead to 'a war' read more A Thai military mobile unit fires towards Cambodia's side after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Surin, Thailand. Reuters War clouds loom large over Southeast Asia as the clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have entered day 2 on Friday, July 25. Clashes that began on Thursday resumed early on Friday, the Thai military reported, as the two countries fight in their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade. The intense fighting has prompted Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to tell reporters in Bangkok, 'If the situation escalates it could develop into war, though for now it remains limited to clashes.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He also said the exchanges had affected people's lives and that the government had 'protected our nation and sovereignty'. Here's what's going on as we decipher in which direction will these clashes move — will it be a war or will cooler minds prevail? Thailand, Cambodia exchange heavy artillery fire on Day 2 Fresh clashes broke out at 4:30 am local time on Friday with both countries trading heavy artillery and rocket fire. Today's fighting has expanded to 12 locations from the six on Thursday along the disputed border, said a Thai military official, indicating that the conflict is widening. Thai's military spokesperson Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri told a press conference Cambodia had continued to use heavy weapons. In turn, Cambodia's local reports state that the Thai troops are using cluster munitions in Phnom Khmouch and Techo Thammachart Village — near the Thai border. Royal Thai Army soldiers are pictured on armoured vehicles on a road in Chachoengsao province. Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on July 24 as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery. AFP The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) in a statement said that the use of the weapons was a 'serious breach of international humanitarian norms'. Cluster munitions are banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions due to their indiscriminate impact and lasting danger, particularly to children, the statement added. Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area. Death, destruction and displacement As a result of two days of intense firing between Cambodia and Thailand, a total of 16 people have died. Moreover, Thai officials said 138,000 people from four border provinces had been evacuated. In Surin, evacuee Ngerntra Pranoram said she was 'shocked' by the fighting. 'Nobody wants this to happen. I feel for the elderly and the disabled. It's very difficult for them to get here,' she said, according to Reuters. 'Some people have cars, which is good, but for those who don't, it's really hard.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai also told AP, 'I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared.' Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. 'Children, old people, were hit out of the blue," she said. 'I never imagined it would be this violent.' A little girl rests inside a shelter, after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, in Surin, Thailand. Reuters Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. As per a report by the Associated Press, more than 4,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced from their homes near the border. Videos from Oddar Meanchey on Thursday showed villagers fleeing in the dead of night, packing their belongings into vehicles and sleeping under tarps. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The clashes have also caused widespread destruction to property. On Friday, Cambodia alleged that Thai forces had struck near the Preah Vihear temple – a UNESCO World Heritage site and longstanding flashpoint between the two countries. Damage from a fire caused by Cambodian artillery at a 7-11 convenience store is seen at a PTT gas station in the Thai border province of Sisaket province. AFP Authorities in Phnom Penh released photos they say show damage to the ancient hillside temple complex, which sits along the contested border in Preah Vihear province. However, Thailand has rejected this charge, saying it was a 'clear distortion of facts'. 'The Royal Thai Army would like to state that the operations of the Thai military forces have a clear goal of retaliating only against the Cambodian military forces, and are not targeting civilian areas or any locations unrelated to the military operation in any way,' it said on X. All the fighting has also resulted in foreign governments issuing travel advisories for their citizens. On Friday, the Indian embassy in Thailand has urged its nationals to stay updated and avoid certain areas near the Thailand-Cambodia border. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In view of the situation near Thailand-Cambodia border, all Indian travelers to Thailand are advised to check updates from Thai official sources, including TAT Newsroom. As per Tourism Authority of Thailand places mentioned in the following link are not recommended for… — India in Thailand (@IndiainThailand) July 25, 2025 India's advisory comes after the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong has similar warnings. War clouds loom large Reacting to the violence that is occurring, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said, 'We have tried to compromise as we are neighbours, but we have now instructed the Thai military to act immediately in case of urgency. 'If the situation escalates, it could develop into war, though for now, it remains limited to clashes.' Michael Buehler, a reader in comparative politics at SOAS, University of London, told The Guardian that the current fights is heading towards a bigger crisis owing to a dangerous mix of nationalism, military posturing, and political fragility in both countries. 'With both governments under pressure and national pride at stake, there's a real risk of further deterioration,' he added. World calls for calm Even as Thailand warns of a war, the international community is seeking peace. In fact, the United Nations chief has called on both countries to show restraint. In a statement, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres asked Thailand and Cambodia to resolve their escalating border dispute through dialogue. Moreover, the UN Security Council is expected to convene an emergency meeting on the crisis later today in New York. Earlier, countries such as China, Malaysia and even the United States have offered to mediate between the two Southeast Asian neighbours. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a Facebook post late Thursday he had spoken with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. He called on both sides to stop fighting and seek a diplomatic solution. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And on Friday, a spokesperson from the Thai foreign ministry said that it was open to Malaysia mediating in efforts. 'We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response,' Nikorndej Balankura told AFP. However, there are conflicting reports on this issue. In a Reuters report, Balankura has rejected any foreign mediation efforts. 'We stand by our position that bilateral mechanism is the best way out,' he told the news agency. With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
43 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Zelenskyy says Russian negotiators have 'begun to discuss' possible Putin meeting
Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv discussed the possibility of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during their talks in Istanbul this week, Mr. Zelenskyy said in comments released on Friday (July 25, 2025). Ukraine has been pushing for a meeting between the two leaders and has expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for the warring parties to strike a deal, could also take part. Mr. Putin has said he is ready to meet Mr. Zelenskyy but only during a 'final phase' of negotiations on ending the three-year war. 'We need an end to the war, which probably begins with a meeting of leaders,' Mr. Zelenskyy told reporters including AFP. 'In talks with us, they have begun to discuss it. This is already progress toward some kind of meeting format,' he added. At a fresh round of talks in Istanbul on Wednesday (July 23, 2025), Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov proposed to hold the talks before the end of August. The timing would roughly align with a deadline set by Mr. Trump, who earlier this month gave Russia 50 days to strike a peace deal with Ukraine or face sweeping sanctions. Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky, however, downplayed the likelihood of an imminent meeting. 'The meeting must be properly prepared. Only then will it make sense,' Mr. Medinsky was quoted as saying by Russian state news agency TASS. Deals on Patriots, drones Talks on ending the conflict have so far yielded few results as the two sides have radically different positions, while Ukraine has accused Russia of sending low-level officials with no real decision-making power. Russia has called on Ukraine to effectively retreat from the four Ukrainian regions Moscow claims to have annexed in September 2022, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable. Ukraine has ruled out any negotiations on territory until after a ceasefire and says it will never recognise Russia's claims over occupied territory – including Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014. Mr. Zelenskyy said Russia was still attempting to advance on several parts of the front, without any major breakthroughs. Ukraine has been pleading with its Western backers to send weapons for its troops and to withstand daily Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. As part of a deal that allows European states to buy U.S. weaponry and give it to Kyiv, Mr. Zelenskyy said his country was working to secure funding for 10 Patriot air defence systems. 'The President of the United States will be transferring, selling these systems to us. Our task is to find funding for all 10 systems,' Mr. Zelenskyy said. He added that Ukraine had already secured funds for three systems – two from Germany and one from Norway. Mr. Zelenskyy also said that Washington and Kyiv had agreed on a deal worth between $10-30 billion dollars for Ukraine to provide drones to the United States. This would represent a departure from Ukraine's unofficial stance against weapons exports. 'With America and President Trump, we agreed that they will purchase drones from us. This agreement is in place,' Mr. Zelenskyy said. 'Listened' to protesters Mr. Zelenskyy said he was 'focused on the issue of the war because right now, the number one issue in Ukraine is the war.' But he has been facing protests, spurred by the adoption of a law revoking the independence of two anti-corruption agencies. The adoption of the law triggered the biggest public protests in Ukraine since Russia's invasion and drew criticism from Kyiv's European allies. 'It is absolutely normal to react when people don't want something or when they dislike something,' Mr. Zelenskyy said. 'For me, it was very important that we listened and responded adequately,' Mr. Mr. Zelenskyy added. The government has since submitted a bill aimed at restoring the independence of the anti-graft bodies – the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). It remains to be seen whether parliament, mostly loyal to Mr. Zelenskyy, will approve the draft law. The controversial law drew criticism from Kyiv's European allies, who worry the move could undermine anti-corruption reforms key to Ukraine's bid to join the European Union. 'We want to be part of Europe. No one is willing to take any risks,' Mr. Zelenskyy said.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Democrats' ‘Autopsy' Flop
It's hard to know who is currently winning the contest for 2024 ostrichism: A Democratic Party conducting an election 'autopsy' that ignores Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, or the hooting media that ignores everything beyond the Biden/Harris campaign disaster. It is this echo chamber that elected Donald Trump twice, and the question is when the left will remember that voters are the ones who pick the president. The New York Times's revelation that the Democratic National Committee's 2024 campaign autopsy won't touch on Mr. Biden's decision to run again, his coronation of Ms. Harris, or her key decisions, is certainly worth a skewering. As is the news that the report will instead devote most of its attention to 'outside groups,' including the party's main SuperPAC, which apparently lost Democrats the whole kaboodle by misallocating advertising dollars. The Times story sent writers racing for the best comparison put-down. An autopsy that lacked Biden/Harris, said the Times, was like 'eating at a steakhouse and then reviewing the salad.' No, said the Nation, it was like 'a production of Hamlet that leaves out not just the Prince of Denmark but also Claudius, Gertrude, the Ghost, and Ophelia.' Actually, said a Republican consultant in the Hill, it was like 'doing John F. Kennedy's autopsy, and only examining his feet.' Fair enough, if obvious. Of course it mattered that the Biden inner circle chose to spend half of 2024 on a remake of 'Weekend at Bernie's.' Of course it mattered that Mr. Biden then anointed a woman who'd never won a single presidential primary vote, who'd become a liability as vice president, and who then ran a policy-free campaign centered on joy, media-avoidance and accusations of fascism. Obvious, too, because deflection and finger-pointing are now de rigeur in the Democratic Party. In 2017, Hillary Clinton blamed her humiliating loss on sabotage by Russia, sexism, Jim Comey and an insufficiently prostrate press corps. The party blamed its 2022 midterm House loss on the public's failure to understand the brilliance of Mr. Biden's spending and economic agenda. Yet the mainstream media's willful insistence that the loss must be put down solely to Biden/Harris is equally comedic. The coverage is almost desperate to insist that the left's only problem is the messenger—and the means of messaging. Which puts the media in the exact same spot as the 'autopsy' it ridicules, as that document is headed to a finding that the party needs someone who does a better job of 'connecting' and 'explaining,' and who doubles down on organizing. What both camps studiously ignore is the voter verdict. That is, the voters who last year decisively rejected the progressive agenda that defines today's Democratic Party. A real autopsy would focus almost entirely on the unpopularity of the ideas that animate the political left: open borders, unrestrained spending, union power, climate diktats, police-bashing, anti-Israel sentiment, identity politics. It would note not just the polls showing this rejection, but the proof in the form of recent, extraordinary demographic shifts that show a left losing its grip on whole categories of once reliable voter groups. A real autopsy would meditate on the disconnect between a nation that wants the freedom to build, grow and achieve, and a Democratic Party increasingly obsessed with locking up and redistributing a government-micromanaged ecosystem. It might even consider a case study of, say, San Francisco, for some evidence of how its policies fail in practice, and how voters respond on issues like crime or education. A few liberal policy wonks are feeling out a new direction—see the talk of an 'abundance' agenda—yet party leaders have so far resolutely refused to go there. An honest examination would drill in to the failure of eight years of lawfare, the party's decision to weaponize government for political gain. It would ask if the partisan ambitions that fuel the progressive left's calls to end the legislative filibuster, nationalize election laws, pack the Supreme Court or abolish the Electoral College are worth the distrust they sow among average voters who want stability. It would question what internal or cultural dysfunction allowed an entire Democratic establishment to salute a misguided leader, and worse, to excoriate those rare individuals (Dean Phillips) with the backbone to warn of a coming trainwreck. None of this will happen, for a simple reason. The progressive left remains a minority in the liberal movement, but its true believers nonetheless occupy all the positions of power, including the leadership of the DNC (and most Beltway press jobs). They won't criticize their basic world view. If change is to come to the Democratic Party—and it will—expect it to come in the form of a charismatic outsider who shows a new way, not via a pro forma autopsy by an insular claque that has no real regrets over the course that actually lost them an election. Write to kim@
