Kathmandu — Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has formed an interim leadership council to manage the country’s transitional phase, state-controlled media confirmed on Sunday. The move has been taken in accordance with constitutional provisions governing succession.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the council will include President Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the judiciary, and a senior cleric selected from the Guardian Council. A close aide to the late Supreme Leader confirmed that the three-member body will assume responsibility for running state affairs during the interim period.
Under Article 111 of Iran’s Constitution, an interim leadership council is formed in the event of the Supreme Leader’s death, dismissal, or incapacity. The council governs the country until a new Supreme Leader is appointed. The constitutional framework specifies that the body must include the sitting president, the judiciary chief, and a cleric chosen by the Guardian Council.
The responsibility for selecting the next Supreme Leader lies with the Assembly of Experts, which is expected to begin consultations soon regarding Khamenei’s successor.
These developments come amid heightened regional tensions and growing uncertainty within Iran’s political and security landscape.
A recent report by The New York Times suggested that Khamenei had made contingency preparations in light of increasing threats from Israel and the United States. According to the report, he had granted expanded authority to close ally Ali Larijani, assigning him key responsibilities during protests earlier this year, anticipating the possibility of assassination or removal.
