breaking news

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been appointed as the jurist member of Iran’s interim Leadership Council, the body that will fulfill the duties of the Supreme Leader on a temporary basis until a new leader is chosen. This was reported by Iran’s official news agency ISNA.

Under Iran’s constitution, when the post of Supreme Leader is vacant, a council including the President (Masoud Pezeshkian), the Chief Justice (Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei), and one jurist is formed to lead the country. Arafi has been named as that jurist.

Arafi is a senior cleric and member of the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts, and will serve alongside the other two officials on this temporary leadership council.

This appointment follows reports of the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent attacks, after which the interim council was constituted to ensure continuity of leadership.