Iran has secretly elected its next Supreme Leader as the current ayatollah, 85-year-old Ali Khamenei, is battling a serious illness, according to a report.

Tehran has elected Khamenei’s second son Mojtaba Khamenei as the next head of the country, Israeli media Ynet News quoted Iran International, a Persian media outlet with ties to Iranian regime opponents.

The report added that Khamenei may abdicate soon as he is battling a serious health condition.

The selection was held on September 26 after the 60 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts convened on Khamenei’s demand. This very unusual and secretive meeting was called without prior notice and the aim was to decide on the Supreme Leader’s successor. The meeting deliberated and finally decided to unanimously select Mojtaba as the successor. Ynet added that the decision was reached at the insistence of Khamenei and his representatives, which also included threats.

The members were also told to keep the meeting very secret, fearing public protests. Any leaks would be met with consequences, the members were told.

The report quoted sources who said Khamenei plans to hand over the reins to Mojtaba during his lifetime to ensure a smooth transition. This is also to preempt any opposition that could arise after his passing.

The selection of Mojtaba does not come as a surprise as he was being groomed for leadership for some time, following which he was actively playing a prominent role in government circles.

Electing the successor became a priority after the conflict with Israel and the revelation that Israeli spies had infiltrated the Islamic Republic’s strict intelligence and security infrastructure. The assassination of Hezbollah chief Nasrallah and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran has prompted Khamenei to isolate himself for protection with only a handful of loyalists given access to him. His son Mojtaba is reportedly the only individual he can trust and influence as a future leader, according to the Atlantic Council.

Though he has rarely spoken publicly, Mojtaba is a familiar name in Iran as he is said to be one of the brains behind the violent crackdown on 2009 protests after the elections that saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad come to power for the second term. It was in this September that Mojtaba spoke for the first time to the world via a video message wherein he declared that he was discontinuing his virtual seminary classes for disciples abroad.

He was given the title of ayatollah two years back, thereby giving him the most important constitutional prerequisite for the Supreme Leader role.