TEHRAN — Ayatollah Ali Khamenei views U.S. military action against Iran as inevitable. In recent directives, he instructed top leaders to name up to four replacements for every position he appoints directly. The move aims to keep the Islamic Republic running if strikes disrupt communications or kill him, according to a New York Times report citing Iranian political and military insiders.

Khamenei delegated authority to a small group of confidants. They would step in during wartime chaos. Ali Larijani tops that list. The 67-year-old former nuclear negotiator now serves as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. Khamenei appointed him to that role after Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. Larijani also heads a new National Defence Council, alongside Adm. Ali Shamkhani, to handle military operations if full conflict erupts.

Insiders describe Larijani as effectively running the country. A former Major Guards commander, he helped suppress recent protests against Islamic rule. Lately, he has held talks with Russia, Qatar and Oman while overseeing nuclear discussions with the U.S. His past role in the 2015 nuclear deal with the West positions him to broker any future agreement with President Donald Trump, the report states.

Other key figures include Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, a former Guards commander-in-chief. Parliament Speaker Brig. Gen. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf would act as de facto deputy for armed forces command. Ali Asghar Hejazi, a cleric and Ghalibaf’s chief of staff, rounds out the circle. These men would shield the regime from bombs, targeted killings and leadership losses.

Vali Nasr, an Iran expert at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, told the Times that Khamenei anticipates martyrdom. “This is my system and legacy, and I will stand until the end,” Nasr quoted Khamenei as thinking. The supreme leader spreads power to prepare for war and the succession it might trigger.

The plan echoes scenarios like Venezuela, where a vice president cut a deal with Washington after Nicolas Maduro’s ouster. Larijani would lead Iran’s version. Gen. Ghalibaf and former President Hassan Rouhani follow him in line. Current President Masoud Pezeshkian appears sidelined, with little role outlined.

Tensions spiked after the Israel war. The Major Guards took control of Hezbollah amid broader escalations. Khamenei acts now to ensure endurance against American and Israeli pressure. Larijani’s diplomatic moves continue even as military preparations intensify.