 | ||
Succession to the Supreme Leader of Iran has been a taboo in Iran. According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Supreme Leader is elected by two third majority of the Assembly of Experts members. It is possible for the Assembly to elect a "Deputy Supreme Leader", when the Supreme Leader still holds the office, however, the Assembly had not been electing any deputies since deposition of Hussein-Ali Montazeri in 1987. The Assembly elected a Supreme Leader once in the Iranian Supreme Leader election, 1989.
The next term of the Assembly of Experts, elected in the 2016 elections and lasting until 2024, possibly might have to choose, or at the very least plan, a successor for Ayatollah Khamenei.
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said in December 2015 that "A committee is examining potential candidates to be the next Supreme Leader". He also said the Assembly would be open to choosing "a council of leaders if needed" instead of a single leader.