Media: Iran's supreme leader to replace judiciary chief Eje'i

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to replace Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje'i when his current five-year term expires, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Iran International.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Khamenei has decided against renewing Eje'i's mandate for a second term, departing from a practice that has generally seen judiciary chiefs remain in office for two consecutive five-year terms over the past four decades.

According to the sources, the move is not intended as part of a judicial reform agenda but reflects a broader effort to reshape the country's power structure following the recent war.

They said Khamenei is seeking to install loyalists in key state institutions as he consolidates authority.

If confirmed, Eje'i's departure would be among the first major personnel changes under Khamenei and could signal a wider restructuring of Iran's judicial, political and security institutions after the leadership transition.

The reported decision comes as Eje'i faces mounting criticism from hardline figures following the disclosure of the names of members of Iran's Supreme National Security Council who supported a memorandum of understanding with the United States.

His critics argue that his vote contradicted Khamenei's publicly stated position after the supreme leader indicated in a letter that he had fundamentally disagreed with the memorandum.

Questions about Eje'i's performance have also surfaced in commentary published by media outlets closely linked to Iran's ruling establishment.

In his annual Judiciary Week message, Khamenei stopped short of expressing support for extending Eje'i's tenure. Instead, he addressed the judiciary as a whole, urging it to pursue the "actualization" of priorities previously outlined by former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

His message reiterated calls to implement judicial reform plans, tackle corruption within the judiciary, safeguard public rights, prevent favouritism and lobbying, and strengthen engagement with the public.

The following day, Eje'i responded with a letter to Khamenei in which he defended the judiciary's record and reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing judicial reforms.

“I and all components of the judiciary consider ourselves obliged to carry out Your Excellency’s binding commands precisely, swiftly and without any reduction,” Eje'i wrote.

The letter itself drew criticism from figures and media outlets aligned with the political establishment, some of whom argued it should have been issued before Khamenei's Judiciary Week message. Others interpreted the supreme leader's renewed emphasis on his father's directives as an implicit criticism of Eje'i's leadership, suggesting the repeated calls reflected dissatisfaction with the judiciary's performance.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov