Alireza Arafi appointed to Iranian interim leadership council

2026-03-01 - 18:33

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been appointed to the Iranian interim leadership council to manage affairs of the country following the martyrdom of Ali Khamenei. According to the media reports, the Expediency Discernment Council has made his appointment in the interim council, which also included the president and the head of the judiciary. The interim council will lead the country until the Assembly of Experts elects a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian termed the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a decisive turning point in the history of the Islamic world. He termed the assassination a great crime, calling it a turning point for the Islamic world. He said those responsible would face a strong and decisive response, adding that the blood of the supreme leader would not go unanswered. Along with Ali Khamenei, other family members, including his son, daughter-in-law, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, were also martyred in the coordinated US and Israel missile strike. Vowing a befitting response to foreign aggression, Iran has announced seven days of national holidays and a 40-day mourning period. Following the attack, Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting Israeli territory and US military installations in the Gulf region. Explosions were reported in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, while air defence systems were activated in several Gulf States, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. Martyrdom of Ali Khamenei: Nine dead, 18 injured in clashes outside US Consulate in Karachi