Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, could become one of the main figures in the next process of determining the country’s supreme leader.
Medianews.az reports that this is stated in a commentary by the US "Reuters" agency.
It is noted that the issue of succession has come to the fore in Iran due to the death of the supreme leader following Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Khamenei, as a result of a joint US-Israeli military attack: "Khamenei was 86 years old. For a long time, the issue of succession was discussed. However, before this issue was clarified, he was killed, and thus the succession problem has now taken on a more urgent character."
The commentary emphasizes that 53-year-old Hassan Khomeini is the most well-known figure among Ruhollah Khomeini's 15 grandchildren: "He is regarded as a relatively moderate figure within Iran’s clerical elite. He has close relations with former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Hassan Rouhani. Both politicians pursued a policy of dialogue with the West during their time in power.
Hassan Khomeini holds a symbolic but significant position as the guardian of his grandfather’s mausoleum in Tehran and has not yet held a government post.
In some political circles, he is considered an alternative to the hardline supporters who strengthened during Ali Khamenei’s rule, particularly Khamenei's son Mojtaba.
Hassan Khomeini criticized the Guardian Council in 2021 for vetting presidential candidates. That decision paved the way for the victory of hardline supporter Ebrahim Raisi (Raisi died in a helicopter crash in 2024).
“You cannot choose someone for me and tell me to vote for that person,” Hassan Khomeini had declared at the time.
Hassan Khomeini demanded a transparent investigation into the case of Mahsa Amini, the young woman who died after being detained by the moral police in 2022. The Amini case sparked large-scale protests.
Hassan Khomeini stated that government bodies must provide clear and accurate explanations about what happened under the guise of "training and education," while at the same time criticizing protesters who chanted slogans against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He participated in a march supporting the government during the unrest and likened some of the violence to the activities of ISIS-like groups.
People close to him characterize Hassan Khomeini as a theologian with a more open-minded approach concerning music, women’s rights, and social freedoms. It is said that he follows social media and shows interest in Western philosophy.
Hassan Khomeini defended the Rouhani government, which supported the nuclear deal signed in 2015. That deal was later annulled in 2018 by US President Donald Trump.
Hassan Khomeini speaks openly about the economic difficulties faced by Iranians due to sanctions.
About ten years ago, Hassan Khomeini sought to become a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body that elects the supreme leader, but the Guardian Council did not register his candidacy. Officially, it was stated that his clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam was insufficient. However, some believe that Hassan Khomeini was not allowed into the Assembly of Experts to prevent the strengthening of the reformist camp.
In a 2008 interview, Hassan Khomeini's statement that military personnel should stay out of politics was interpreted as an indirect criticism of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC/SEPAH). Nevertheless, it is reported that Hassan Khomeini has good relations with SEPAH.
Last year, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, Hassan Khomeini wrote a letter to Ali Khamenei praising his leadership and stating that Iranian missiles were a "nightmare" for Israel and a "source of pride" for the Iranian people.
He called Israel a "Zionist, evil regime, cancerous tumor," and urged the Muslim world to strengthen against Zionism.
Hassan Khomeini is said to be fluent in Arabic and English and played football in his youth. At age 21, he went to the city of Qom at his grandfather’s insistence to receive theological education.
Observers believe that after Ali Khamenei’s death, Hassan Khomeini’s grandson’s name may come up more frequently in discussions around the supreme leader post, but the ultimate decision-makers will again be the closed circles of the clerical elite."