Iranian media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has passed away. Iran's Fars news agency reported that the Supreme Leader's daughter, son-in-law and grandson have also died.
Khamenei's death marks another day in Tehran, another day in Iran and another day in the region, Al Jazeera reporter Ali Hashem said.
Mr. Khamenei came to power to lead the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - the leader who led the Islamic revolution a decade earlier.
While Mr. Khomeini was the ideological driving force behind the revolution that ended the rule of the Pahlavi monarchy, Mr. Khamenei was the one who shaped the military and paramilitary apparatus, creating Iran's entire defense system against opponents and bringing this country influence beyond borders.
Who will succeed Iran's supreme leader is still unclear. This veteran leader has no officially announced successor. An elected body of 88 senior clerics, called the Council of Experts, will choose the next leader to succeed Supreme Leader Khamenei.
CNN pointed out some candidates for this position, according to experts and analysts.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56 years old: Is Mr. Khamenei's second son. Mojtaba Khamenei is a significant influencer and has close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as well as the volunteer paramilitary force Basij.
But succession from father to son is opposed among Shia Muslim clerics. Another obstacle is that Mojtaba Khamenei is not a senior cleric and has no official role in the government.
Alireza Arafi, 67 years old: A little-known figure. Alireza Arafi is a prestigious cleric and the heart of Supreme Leader Khamenei. He currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of the Council of Experts and is a member of the Council of Guardians of Power - the body that censors election candidates and laws passed by parliament.
He is also the head of Iran's religious school system. Alireza Arafi is not famous as a high-profile political figure and has no close relationship with security.
Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, about 60 years old: A tough cleric and a member of the Council of Experts, representing the most conservative faction in the clerical community.
According to IranWire media channel, he strongly opposes the West and believes that conflict between believers and non-believers is inevitable. He is heading the Islamic Science Academy in the holy city of Qom in northern Iran.
Hassan Khomeini, about 50 years old: The grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. This gives him religious and revolutionary legitimacy.
He is the caretaker of the tomb of founder Khomeini but has never held a public position and seems to have very little influence on Iran's security apparatus or ruling class. He is known to be much less tough than many contemporaries.
Hashem Hosseini Bushehri, over 60 years old: A senior cleric closely linked to the institutions managing succession, especially the Council of Experts, where he holds the position of First Vice President.
Mr. Bushehri is said to be close to Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei but rarely appears in public in the country and is not said to have close relations with the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
