Protesters mourn Supreme Leader of Iran, Khamenei, who died in a US attack. [EPA=Yonhap News]

An agreement has been reached on the next Supreme Leader of Iran to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an explosion, AFP reported on the 8th (local time), citing Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency and others.

Ayatollah Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, a member of the Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body that elects Iran's Supreme Leader, said, "We voted regarding the election of the leader, and a new leader has been elected," adding that the secretariat would announce the name soon.

Other members also confirmed the decision, and one member suggested that Khamenei's second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, would be the successor, AFP noted.

Mojtaba, 56, is a powerful behind-the-scenes figure leveraging his father's influence, and is known to wield considerable power within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and intelligence agencies. He has long been considered a candidate for succession.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump had stated that he should be involved in the succession plan for Iran's Supreme Leader and that "Khamenei's son is unacceptable."

Mohsen Heidari, a representative from Khuzestan Province, told the semi-official ISNA news agency in an interview, "The most suitable candidate was decided by majority vote," adding, "The devils have mentioned the name of the one chosen by the representatives." The term 'devils' primarily refers to the United States and Israel.

Earlier the same day, Ayatollah Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, a member of the Assembly of Experts, stated in a video posted online regarding Khamenei's successor that "a firm consensus has been presented," but also mentioned "there are obstacles in difficult circumstances."

Mirbagheri emphasized that "the designation of the leader must be free of controversy by ensuring accuracy and precision."

He added, "We should not waste time, but we must be cautious in making important historical decisions," and "The experts are making great efforts, and a commensurate process is needed."

According to Iranian media, there are some disagreements within the Assembly of Experts, a constitutional body composed of 88 clerics, on whether the final decision should be made through an in-person meeting or if the decision can be announced without an in-person procedure.

In this regard, the Israeli military issued a statement in Persian on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "After the tyrant Khamenei was eliminated, they are trying to elect a new leader," and "The Assembly of Experts, convened for the first time in 40 years, will be held in Bear soon."

It continued, "Israel will continue to track the successor as well as anyone who seeks to appoint him," and warned, "We will not hesitate to target you who participate in the process of electing the successor."

Khamenei died on the 28th of last month in airstrikes by the United States and Israel, and the Assembly of Experts was convened to discuss the succession plan. Once the Assembly of Experts makes a final decision, the next Supreme Leader will be officially confirmed.