A high-ranking member of the office of a Grand Ayatollah told IranWire in an exclusive interview that many commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps believe that in the post-Ayatollah Khamenei era, the clergy and Maraji (Shia objects of emulation) are the biggest obstacles to their seizure of power. This individual, who lives in Iran, requested anonymity for himself and his affiliated Grand Ayatollah due to security concerns. According to him, the IRGC is currently monitoring the offices of all senior clerics in both Qom and Najaf to ensure that no words are spoken in opposition to the “so-called leadership” of Mojtaba Khamenei. This source told IranWire that he does not know whether Mojtaba Khamenei is currently alive or not, emphasizing that his status, dead or alive, will not impact the IRGC’s style of governance in Iran