Jackie Northam

Of all the candidates, he's the one who is closest to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC.

He's also well-connected in his late father's office, and these are the two most important parts of the regime.

If they support him, there's a good chance he'll be Iran's next leader.

It would.

Mojtaba would be seen as a status quo candidate.

But, you know, analysts I spoke with say the current system can't be sustained.

Iran is weakened from war and widespread protests.

Its economy is battered and it needs to transform if it wants to have legitimacy.

The other thing is the next Supreme Leader will not wield as much power as Khamenei during his nearly 40 years in power.

The Revolutionary Guards have gained enormous power over Iran's economy and its military.

Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, says a new Supreme Leader will be deferential to the Revolutionary Guards.

Here he is.

And yet, you know, when the late Ayatollah Khamenei was chosen as supreme leader, he was considered weak and pliable.

But, you know, he proved to be cunning and ruthless and went on to become one of the most powerful leaders in the Middle East.

That is NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northup.

A new front opened in the war in Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel.

It responded with airstrikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon, further widening the three-day-old war.

Three U.S.

service members have been killed and President Trump says more may die before the conflict is over.

The White House says Iran wants to restart negotiations and that Trump will eventually talk with whoever is in charge.