Iran is set to establish an interim leadership council to rule the country after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, senior security official Ali Larijani announced on Sunday, signaling the start of a constitutional transformation amid an escalating regional conflict and mounting military casualties.
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The interim arrangement, described as a stopgap measure, will operate until Iran’s clerical establishment formally selects a new supreme leader — a process that could shape the Islamic republic’s future direction at one of the most volatile moments in its modern history.
The Interim Board will assume leadership duties
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the country would form an interim governing body later today to run state affairs during the transition period.
The move follows constitutional provisions activated after the death of the supreme leader, with an interim council expected to oversee the executive while succession procedures begin.
According to Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, the Interim Governing Council assumes responsibility until the Assembly of Experts selects a permanent successor.
According to Iranian media, the body will consist of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Court President Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and a cleric representing the Guardian Council. The Council will function until the Assembly of Experts formally elects a new Supreme Leader.
Larijani accuses Israel of trying to “divide” Iran
In parallel remarks published by state news agency Fars, Larijani accused Israel of pursuing broader geopolitical goals after the joint US-Israeli strikes.
He said that the Israeli regime has no choice but to resort to the partition of large countries to ensure its own survival.
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Larijani also sharply criticized the president of the United States, calling Trump “the perfect symbol of plunder” and accusing Washington of trying to seize Iran’s resources.
“America and the Zionist regime burned the hearts of the Iranian nation, and we will burn their hearts as well,” he added.
Senior Iranian military leadership was killed in the attacks
Iran’s official IRNA news agency confirmed that several senior defense officials were killed during Saturday’s strikes by the United States and Israel.
Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Chief of General Staff Abdul Rahim Mousavi were among the dead. Iran has previously confirmed the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his senior security adviser Ali Shamkhani and the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Mohammad Pakpour.
IRNA said other senior commanders were also killed, adding that their identities would be announced later.
The losses represent one of the most significant disruptions to Iran’s military leadership structure since the founding of the Islamic Republic.
IRGC vows retaliation as regional attacks expand
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to retaliate, saying it had launched attacks on 27 bases housing US forces in the Middle East, as well as Israeli military installations in Tel Aviv.
Explosions have been reported in parts of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as regional tensions have intensified, although independent verification of any claims remains limited.
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The exchange of strikes marks a rapid escalation in a US-Israeli campaign against Iranian leadership targets, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
What will happen next for the Iranian leadership?
The formation of the interim council begins a complex process of succession that is rarely attempted in Iran’s political system. The Assembly of Experts – an 88-member clerical body – now faces the task of choosing a new supreme leader, a decision likely to affect both the government at home and Iran’s strategic position abroad.
Analysts note that the transition is taking place under extraordinary circumstances that combine the loss of leadership, military confrontation and internal political uncertainty.
