The Economist: “Political power in Iran used to be simple. Call him dictator, supreme leader, imam or shadow of God on earth, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the absolute ruler. Military commanders, presidents and clerics were his underlings. He made all the top appointments and rigged the choice of presidential candidates.”
“But since Iran’s 12-day war with Israel, things have become more complicated. The 86-year-old leader appears in public only rarely. His sermons, once lengthy, are brief. The question of succession looms larger than ever, with actors inside and outside the regime jostling for position, many openly advocating alternatives to 46 years of theocracy. The opacity around the fate of Iran’s nuclear program after the strikes by Israel and America is replicated across the political system. Iranians want to know whether their leaders will accept Donald Trump’s terms for a deal. But they are no longer sure who is in charge.”
