Iran has announced the establishment of a "Temporary Leadership Council of Three" to govern the country until a new Supreme Leader is selected according to the Iranian constitution. All three members are key leaders with significant roles in Iran.
The formation of this temporary leadership council follows Article 111 of the Iranian constitution, which mandates a provisional council to act in place of the Supreme Leader if the position becomes vacant. The three members include the President, the Chief Justice, and a representative from the Guardian Council. Initially, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi will serve as the interim leader before a new Supreme Leader is selected.
Who are the members of the Temporary Leadership Council?
1. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been a member of the Guardian Council since 2019. This council’s members are appointed by the Supreme Leader and are responsible for ensuring laws and policies comply with Islamic principles, approving election candidates, vetoing parliamentary laws, and overseeing elections.
Arafi also serves as the deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting the new Supreme Leader. Additionally, he leads Friday prayers in Qom, Iran’s most important religious center, and oversees the country's religious institutions.
He is thus a key figure in the religious power structure and has a direct role in the process of choosing the new Supreme Leader.
2. Masoud Pezeshkian
Masoud Pezeshkian, aged 71, is a reformist politician and heart surgeon who was elected President in the 2024 elections.
Previously, he served as Minister of Health in Mohammad Khatami's government and was a parliamentary representative from Tabriz. Pezeshkian campaigned on economic recovery, social relaxation policies, and building constructive foreign relations, while maintaining loyalty to the Islamic Republic's system.
Following Khamenei's death, he issued a statement declaring that Iran has the legitimate duty and right to retaliate against those behind this event.
3. Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei
Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei is a hardline religious leader who has served as Chief Justice since 2021 after being appointed by Khamenei.
He previously held positions as Minister of Intelligence (2005–2009), Attorney General, and Deputy Chief Justice. He is regarded as a close ally of the conservative faction within the government.
During protests triggered by the rial currency crisis earlier this year, Mohseni-Ejei declared he would show no mercy to those he called troublemakers, accusing the United States and Israel of supporting unrest in Iran.
Role of the Temporary Leadership Council
The three-member council will govern the country during this critical period amid war and international pressure, while beginning the process of selecting a new Supreme Leader through the Assembly of Experts. The council has pledged to strongly continue Khamenei’s policies and affirmed that Iran’s armed forces are ready to crush the strongholds of its enemies.
Source:Aljazeera
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