Interim Leadership Council

Interim Leadership Council
شورای موقت رهبری  (Persian)
Emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran
2026 composition
Masoud Pezeshkian
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i
Alireza Arafi
1 March 2026 – 8 March 2026
StyleInterim Council
StatusHead of state (de jure) during vacancy of the Supreme Leader
Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces
Provisional head of the three branches of the state (the Judiciary, the Legislature, and the Executive)
AppointerExpediency Discernment Council
Term lengthUntil a new Supreme Leader should be elected and appointed
Constituting instrumentConstitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran per Chapter VIII Article 111
PrecursorAli Khamenei (as Supreme Leader)
Formation1 March 2026; 7 months ago (2026-03-01)
Abolished8 March (inactive)
SuccessionSupreme Leader after he gets elected and appointed

The Interim Leadership Council was the de facto collective head of state of Iran that temporarily handled the duties of the Supreme Leader until Mojtaba Khamenei was elected and appointed as the 3rd Supreme Leader on 8 March 2026. The Interim Leadership Council was created on 1 March 2026 after the assassination of Ali Khamenei. The council is made up of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje'i and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.

The three Interim Leadership Council members are called by some sources as acting or interim supreme leaders since the Interim Leadership Council took over the duties of the Supreme Leader office while the office of the Supreme Leader is still vacant.

Arafi is a cleric, unlike the other members of the Interim Leadership Council. Because of this, it is believed that he might become the Head of the Interim Leadership Council.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Also during vacancy of the Supreme Leader.
  2. ↑ Only appointer of the members.
  3. ↑ Persian: شورای انتقالی رهبری, romanized: Šurâ-ye Enteqâli-ye Rahbari. "Shura" was the term for collective decision-making in Islam.
  4. ↑ It can also be translated as the Transitional Leadership Council, Temporary Leadership Council, Temporary Council, Transitional Council or Governance Council.
  5. ↑ The Supreme Leader is the de facto head of state in Iran.
  6. ↑ Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly was initially listed as a member of the council but was not listed by later sources, same goes for Ali Larijani.

References

  1. 1 2 Motamedi, Maziar. "Iran forms interim council to oversee transition after Khamenei's killing". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 1 March 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Heads of State, Heads of Government, and Ministers for Foreign Affairs" (PDF). United Nations. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Reals, Tucker (2026-03-01). "Iran names three men for interim Leadership Council to pick next supreme leader". CBS News. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
  4. ↑ Multiple sources:
  5. ↑ Walsh, Joe; Reals, Tucker. "U.S.-Israel launch another round of strikes on Iran following Khamenei's killing". CBS News. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "U.S. and Israel launch a major attack on Iran, Trump says Supreme Leader Khamenei killed". PBS. 2026-02-28.
  7. ↑ "Why has the US attacked Iran? What we know about the attack and Tehran response". BBC News. 2026-03-01. Retrieved 2026-03-01.
  8. ↑ "Аятолла Арафи стал врио верховного лидера Ирана". Новая газета Европа (in Russian). Retrieved 2026-03-01.
  9. ↑ "Senior Iranian Cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi Named As Country's Interim Supreme Leader After Killing Of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei In Joint US-Israeli Airstrikes". News On AIR. March 1, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Arafi to head Iran's Leadership Council after Khamenei killing". Daily Sabah. 2026-03-01. Retrieved 2026-03-02.