Iran has established a temporary leadership council following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state television. The move comes amid escalating regional tensions after joint U.S.–Israeli military strikes.
Under Iran’s constitution, the interim body includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the judiciary, and a representative from the Guardian Council. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has reportedly been selected to serve in that role.
Pezeshkian Reappears on State TV
Pezeshkian, who sources say was targeted in Saturday’s strikes, resurfaced Sunday in a televised address confirming the council has begun its duties. In a recorded message, he said Iran’s armed forces are “powerfully crushing the enemy’s bases.”
The Guardian Council, a 12-member body made up of Islamic jurists and legal experts, will oversee leadership functions until a permanent successor is determined. Officials say the process must move quickly given wartime conditions.
Israeli Strikes Claim Senior Commanders
The Israel Defense Forces said 40 Iranian commanders were killed in the latest wave of attacks. Among them was Abdolrahim Mousavi, Iran’s chief of staff of the armed forces, according to Israeli officials. Several other senior security figures were also reportedly eliminated in coordinated strikes across Tehran.
Israel described the operation as targeting high-level military leadership and strategic infrastructure. The strikes follow months of heightened hostilities in the region.
Tehran Vows Retaliation
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, called Khamenei’s death “a wound to the hearts of all of us” and warned the United States of consequences.
“Americans should know that by stabbing the hearts of the Iranian nation, their hearts will be stabbed,” he said during a televised interview.
As leadership transitions and military operations continue, the situation remains volatile, raising fears of broader regional escalation across the Middle East.
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