Tehran: Iran has appointed senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi to its interim Leadership Council following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent US-Israel strikes.

Under Iran’s constitutional framework, a temporary council assumes the responsibilities of the Supreme Leader until a successor is formally chosen. The body includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, alongside Arafi, who is also a member of the Guardian Council.

The appointment comes at a sensitive moment for the country, as authorities manage both internal transition and rising regional tensions. The Assembly of Experts is expected to play a key role in selecting the next Supreme Leader in accordance with established procedures.