Who are the council members temporarily in charge of Iran?

Following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Israeli and US air strikes on 1 March 2026, Iran has established a three-member interim leadership council to manage the government, according to Article 111 of the country's Constitution.

The article mandates a temporary council to assume the supreme leader's duties until a successor is elected by the Assembly of Experts, the body of religious leaders responsible for selecting Iran's next leader, says Al Jazeera.

Members of the interim council

The council comprises:

• Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran and a reformist politician elected in 2024. He has said Iran has a "legitimate duty" to avenge Khamenei's death. Pezeshkian is a 71-year-old heart surgeon and former health minister, with nearly two decades in parliament. He served in the military during the Iran-Iraq War. As president, he manages the day-to-day administration of the government and has focused on easing social restrictions, economic stabilization, and "constructive engagement" with the international community.
• Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and a hardline conservative. He previously served as Iran's minister of intelligence from 2005 to 2009 and has held high-level judicial positions, including prosecutor-general, before becoming head of the judiciary in 2021. He is known for a strict stance toward internal dissent, promising "no leniency" during periods of social unrest.
• Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, member of the Guardian Council and deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts. He oversees Iran's seminary system, leads Friday prayers in Qom, and ensures policies conform to Islamic principles. Arafi plays a key role in the selection of the next supreme leader, combining responsibilities in religious education, constitutional oversight, and the interim council.

Leadership transition process

The interim council ensures continuity of government until the Assembly of Experts selects a new supreme leader. The Assembly of Experts is responsible for vetting candidates and appointing a successor. While the council handles executive and judicial functions during the transition, Arafi's positions in both the Assembly and the Guardian Council give him a pivotal role in the process.

The leadership change comes amid heightened regional tensions. Following the air strikes on Tehran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran launched retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli assets in Gulf countries.