Israel"s military on Sunday threated to target the successor of Khamenei and those involved in selecting the leader, CNN reported.

　　Over Iran"s pick of new leader, Trump previously said the US must have a role in choosing Iran"s next leader, Axios reported on March 5.

　　Trump also indicated Thursday that he wants to see Iran"s leadership structure fully removed and that he has some names in mind for a "good leader," NBC News reported.

　　Commenting on the latest development, Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times the decision in just one week showed the Iranian government is operating smoothly, capable of quickly building consensus, and has not fallen into the internal chaos or regime collapse that the US and Israel had hoped for, he said.

　　Appointing a new supreme leader would help Iran maintain unity and solidarity, stabilize the regime and public morale, and preserve its resilience. The new leader will most likely continue the previous policies and persist in resistance, Ding predicted.

　　As the war is currently at a stalemate, Iran faces grave danger. Finalizing the appointment of a new Supreme Leader would clearly help stabilize military morale and public sentiment, said Qin Tian, a deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

　　Qin also noted that the specific identity of the new leader, his positional inclinations, and the policy directions he will subsequently adopt are also crucial.

　　Will he adhere to an even tougher anti-American stance, or will he adopt a more pragmatic approach toward US relations and the ongoing war? This choice will exert a profound and far-reaching impact on Iran"s future trajectory, Qin told the Global Times.

　　War on both fronts