After the recent military strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, significant changes are anticipated within the Iranian regime following the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several top military commanders. The country’s leadership structure is intricate, with power emanating from the supreme leader who dictates national policies, appoints military heads, and supervises the president. The supreme leader is selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, comprising 88 elected jurists who theoretically oversee the supreme leader, although their actual oversight remains uncertain.
In the aftermath of Khamenei’s demise, a temporary three-person leadership council has taken charge, consisting of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi from the Guardian Council. U.S. President Donald Trump, when asked about the future leadership of Iran, suggested that an individual from within the Iranian regime would likely be the best candidate to assume power once the joint military campaign concludes.
The coordinated strikes occurred shortly after the conclusion of recent U.S.-Iran negotiations aimed at limiting Tehran’s nuclear program. As the power vacuum emerges within the Iranian regime, it is crucial to understand the hierarchy, identify the key figures who have been eliminated, and recognize those who remain to navigate the evolving political landscape.
