Ayatollah Alireza Arafi Named Iran’s Interim Supreme Leader

Iran has named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as the interim Supreme Leader following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on Tehran, according to the state-linked ISNA news agency. The move comes under Article 111 of Iran’s Constitution, triggering a temporary leadership council to oversee the nation until a permanent successor is selected.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi joins President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to form a three-member council now exercising the Supreme Leader’s authority. As the sole cleric in this trio, Arafi assumes the senior position in a system traditionally headed by a religious leader. Together, they manage political, religious, and military oversight amid a period of unprecedented instability in Iran.

Background of Ayatollah Alireza Arafi

Born in 1959, 67-year-old Arafi is a senior figure in Iran’s clerical establishment. He currently leads the country’s Islamic seminaries, serves on the Guardian Council, and sits in the Assembly of Experts. His experience positions him as a central figure during the transitional leadership period, providing continuity in Iran’s religious and constitutional framework.

Wider Leadership, Security Changes

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also announced a leadership change following the death of commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour in the same strikes. Ahmad Vahidi has been appointed as the new IRGC chief. The IRGC remains a powerful institution in Iran, controlling key military, political, and economic functions separate from the conventional armed forces.

The assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, 86, marked a turning point, targeting military and government sites, including the offices of Defence Minister Amir Naserzadeh. International reactions came swiftly, with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming the strike. Iran initially denied the news but officially confirmed Khamenei’s death the following morning, plunging the country into a period of uncertainty over both external threats and internal leadership succession.

Also Read: Iran Confirms Death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel Strikes on Tehran