Iran to Announce Interim Leader Today- Supreme Council

GOOBJOOG NEWS|TEHRAN: Iran has announced the formation of an interim leadership council to take charge of state affairs while a successor is selected, following the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranian Embassy in New Zealand said in an official communication.

The embassy’s post said Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, announced today that a temporary leadership body will assume authority until the constitutional process to elect a new supreme leader is completed.

Iranian state media and multiple international news outlets have reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major military operation by the United States and Israel this weekend, marking a dramatic turning point in the Middle East. Iran has declared a period of national mourning following the announcement.

Larijani said the interim council will oversee governance in the absence of a designated successor, in line with provisions of the Iranian constitution. Early reports indicate the body may include key state officials such as the president, the head of the judiciary, and a jurist selected from the Guardian Council, although official confirmation on membership is still pending.

Khamenei, aged 86, had led Iran since 1989 and was the country’s most powerful political and religious figure. His death leaves a significant leadership vacuum in Tehran at a time of intense regional tensions, with governments and international organizations warning of broader instability.

The formation of the interim council underscores the immediate efforts by Iran’s political establishment to maintain continuity of governance amid extraordinary circumstances. Analysts say the transition period could have far-reaching implications for Tehran’s domestic politics and foreign relations, especially as the conflict that led to Khamenei’s death continues to reverberate across the region.