In the wake of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death during coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel, Iran has announced the formation of an interim leadership council to assume national governance responsibilities. The development was confirmed by Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, during a televised address on state-run IRIB TV.
The unprecedented military operation, which targeted Tehran and several other Iranian cities including Tabriz, Qom, and Isfahan on Saturday, resulted in the deaths of multiple high-ranking Iranian officials alongside the Supreme Leader. Among the casualties were Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour.
Larijani outlined the constitutional basis for the transitional government, citing Article 111 of Iran’s Constitution which mandates that the president, judiciary chief, and a constitutional jurist will collectively assume leadership duties during such a vacancy. The security official characterized the nation as ‘mournful and angry’ while vowing a decisive response to what he described as aggressive actions by Israel and the United States.
In his remarks, Larijani presented a critical geopolitical analysis, suggesting that Israel strategically seeks to fragment Iran to establish dominance across West Asia. He further asserted that the United States had ‘fallen into Israel’s trap,’ arguing that despite the ‘America First’ doctrine promoted by President Donald Trump, Israeli interests appeared to dominate US foreign policy decisions.
The attack prompted immediate retaliatory measures from Iran, which launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli territory and US military installations throughout the region. This exchange represents one of the most significant escalations in regional conflicts in recent years, raising concerns about broader regional stability and the potential for further military confrontation.