Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei hands power to son due to health – report

• Published date: 06 December 2020
• Date: 06 December 2020
• Author: AARON REICH
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Taking to Twitter, Ahwaze wrote in Arabic that sources in Iran were concerned regarding the 81-year-old leader's health, and those close to him are reportedly "very concerned" over his deteriorating condition.

As such, his powers have reportedly been transferred to his 51-year-old son, Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, who currently oversees several important security and intelligence departments in the country. European sources have pegged Mojtaba as a potential successor to the supreme leader's position for over 10 years, and British news outlet The Guardian even dubbed him "the gatekeeper to Iran's supreme leader" in a 2009 article.

Ahwaze noted that it is unclear what has caused such deterioration in the supreme leader's condition overnight, though he did suspect it could be prostate cancer.

Khamenei's deteriorating health has also reportedly seen the supreme leader cancel some important meetings, such as a recently scheduled meeting with President Hassan Rouhani, according to Ahwaze.

Khamenei has been in power since 1989, having taken over following the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ruollah Khomenei. However, he has had health issues in the past, and in 2014 had surgery on his prostate. According to French news outlet Le Figaro in 2015, Western sources believed the supreme leader had suffered from prostate cancer.

No official confirmation has been made regarding any potential transfer of power, and media outlets have been unable to confirm it.

The Iranian journalist gained notoriety due...