This is John Batchel. My good colleague Malcolm Honline, Conference of Presidents' major American Jewish organizations,

reports on the Ayatollah's health failing and an extraordinary meeting in Tehran of the advisors, the 60 advisors, the Council of Elders,

and a choice of the next Ayatollah. It's quite extraordinary. It comes to no confirmation

yet, and yet Malcolm finds very good reason to believe this is the way the Ayatollah wants to exit

the scene after launching the war against Israel in October of last year.

Malcolm Honeline on the extraordinary meeting in Tehran of the Council of Elders obliged to

choose the Ayatollah's choice for the next Ayatollah.

You won't be surprised who it is.

More of this tonight. And there was some initial resistance to the decision and the process that was engaged in, but unanimous approval was

ultimately secured after a lot of pressure, reportedly accompanied by veiled threats from the Supreme Leader's representatives,

and the person chosen was Moshaba Khameen, the son of the current leader, who is, as you know,

85 years old, and the transition could occur even before he passes away.

We don't know yet exactly when it will be, but clearly this has captured the imagination

of the people.

The report has not been confirmed, but the likelihood that it is true is great.

We believe that it's great and that the preparation is underway because the supreme

leader's frail health and his desire to impose the next leader for fear that there could be

either a split or even a rejection of his son for that post.