Tipsheet

Iran's Supreme Leader Is Getting His Affairs in Order As US Prepares to Strike

Jeff Charles
Jeff Charles  |  February 24, 2026 11:00 AM

Iran’s government is preparing for potential U.S. airstrikes that might kill Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This comes as Washington has given the regime a deadline to resolve negotiations over its nuclear program.

President Donald Trump sent a naval strike force to the Persian Gulf last month in preparation for a possible military intervention as the Iranian government struggles to crack down on nationwide protests.

Axios reported that the Pentagon has given Trump a laundry list of military options ranging from limited strikes on Iranian facilities to killing Khamenei and his son. One senior adviser told the outlet, “One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs.”

Khamenei has quietly created succession and emergency command plans to keep the Islamic Republic intact if he or other top leaders are killed. He delegated wartime powers to a small inner circle and “identified three potential successors,” according to Times of Israel.

The Supreme Leader also elevated longtime loyalist Ali Larijani, a former Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) commander, “to a central governing role, effectively placing him at the helm of state affairs. 

Larijani has overseen the bloody crackdowns on protests and the nuclear negotiations with the U.S. Conservative analysts told Times of Israel that Khamenei “fully trusts Larijani” and “believes Larijani is the man for this sensitive juncture because of his political track record, sharp mind and knowledge.”

President Donald Trump warned the regime that it only has days to decide whether it wants to come to an agreement about its nuclear program or if it would prefer dodging bombs in the near future. “We’re going to make a deal or we’re going to get a deal one way or the other” or “it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” he said.