Ali Khamenei — Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic since 1989
Born 1939 in Mashhad. President of Iran 1981–1989, then appointed Supreme Leader on Khomeini's death in June 1989. Under Iran's constitution he is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints the head of the judiciary, half of the Guardian Council, and the directors of state broadcasting (IRIB). He has the final word on nuclear policy, regional strategy and the handling of protests. He is designated by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada in connection with human-rights abuses and the suppression of the 2022–2026 protests.
Mojtaba Khamenei — Cleric, son of the Supreme Leader, frequently named as a succession candidate
Born 1969. Holds no formal state office but is widely reported by Iranian and international media to exercise influence over the Supreme Leader's office and parts of the security apparatus. Repeatedly named in succession speculation since the 2009 Green Movement, when opposition figures accused him of coordinating the crackdown. Claims about his exact role are contested and largely unverifiable from open sources.
Esmail Qaani — Commander of the IRGC Quds Force since 2020
Succeeded Qassem Soleimani after the January 2020 US strike in Baghdad. The Quds Force is the IRGC's extraterritorial arm and the channel through which Tehran funds, arms and directs allied militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Sanctioned by the United States, the EU and the UK.
Hossein Salami — Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Career IRGC officer, appointed commander-in-chief in April 2019. The IRGC controls Iran's missile and drone programmes, a large share of the economy through affiliated conglomerates such as Khatam al-Anbiya, and — through the Basij — the domestic force most frequently identified in protest killings. The IRGC is designated a terrorist organisation by the United States and proscribed or sanctioned by several other states.
Gholamhossein Mohseni-Eje'i — Head of the Judiciary since 2021
Former intelligence minister and prosecutor-general. As judiciary chief he presides over the system that issues Iran's execution orders — the highest per-capita execution rate in the world, with more than 900 executions recorded in 2024 and higher totals reported for 2025. Sanctioned by the EU since 2011 for serious human-rights violations.
Ahmad Jannati — Secretary of the Guardian Council; chair of the Assembly of Experts
Born 1927. Has led the Guardian Council since 1992. The Council vets every parliamentary and presidential candidate, and its mass disqualifications are the mechanism by which electoral competition in Iran is closed off before voting begins. Sanctioned by the EU and the United States.
Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri — Hardline cleric and member of the Assembly of Experts
A Qom-based theorist of 'Islamic civilisation-building' and one of the most cited hardline clerical voices in Iranian domestic debate. His lectures argue for the subordination of modern social science, technology and governance to clerical authority, and he is a consistent opponent of negotiations with the West and of loosening hijab enforcement. He is often read as a bellwether for the ideological wing that expects to shape the post-Khamenei succession.
Mohammad Marandi — Tehran University professor and the regime's most visible English-language commentator
An Iranian-American academic who serves as the Islamic Republic's principal English-language interlocutor with Western broadcasters and served on the Iranian team during nuclear talks. Iranian journalists in exile and press-freedom monitors describe his output as state-aligned messaging rather than independent analysis; he rejects that characterisation. His prominence makes him a useful case study in how the Islamic Republic projects narrative abroad.
Hossein Taeb — Former head of IRGC Intelligence Organisation
Led IRGC intelligence from 2009 — the year of the Green Movement crackdown — until his removal in June 2022. His tenure covers the period in which the IRGC's intelligence arm eclipsed the Ministry of Intelligence in handling dissidents, dual nationals and hostage diplomacy. Sanctioned by the EU and the United States.
Esmail Khatib — Minister of Intelligence
Heads the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (VAJA/MOIS), which runs surveillance of activists, the interrogation wings of Evin Prison, and operations against Iranians abroad. The ministry has been sanctioned by the United States and the EU over transnational repression and the treatment of detainees.
How power is structured
The Supreme Leader is not one office among many; he sits above the elected ones. He appoints the head of the judiciary, six of the twelve Guardian Council members, the commanders of the armed forces and the head of state broadcasting. The Guardian Council then decides who may stand for election, and the Assembly of Experts — itself vetted by the Guardian Council — selects the next Supreme Leader. The IRGC supplies the coercive and economic weight that keeps the structure in place. Understanding these interlocks explains why elections in Iran change ministers but not direction.
Frequently asked questions
Who really runs Iran in 2026?
Formal power rests with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in office since 1989. He is commander-in-chief, appoints the judiciary chief, half the Guardian Council and state broadcasting. Real day-to-day control is shared with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which holds the missile, drone and internal-security files as well as a large share of the economy.
Who is Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri?
A hardline Qom cleric and Assembly of Experts member known for his theory of 'Islamic civilisation-building'. He argues that science, technology and governance must be subordinated to clerical authority, opposes negotiations with the West, and is one of the ideological voices expected to shape the post-Khamenei succession.
Who is Mohammad Marandi?
A Tehran University professor and the Islamic Republic's most visible English-language commentator on Western television. He advised the Iranian side during nuclear negotiations. Exiled Iranian journalists and press-freedom monitors describe his commentary as state-aligned messaging; he disputes that.
Who commands the IRGC and the Quds Force?
Hossein Salami has been commander-in-chief of the IRGC since 2019. Esmail Qaani has commanded the extraterritorial Quds Force since the killing of Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.
Which Iranian officials are under international sanctions?
Khamenei, Mohseni-Eje'i, Jannati, Qaani, Salami, Taeb and the Ministry of Intelligence are all subject to US, EU or UK designations tied to human-rights abuses, the suppression of protest, or support for armed proxies. The lists are updated regularly; see our sanctions page.
Who will succeed Ali Khamenei?
There is no announced successor. The Assembly of Experts chooses the next Supreme Leader. Names most often raised in open reporting include Mojtaba Khamenei and senior clerics of the Assembly, but no candidate has been confirmed and all such reporting is speculative.