C T Online Desk: Iran has formed a three-member interim leadership council to assume the responsibilities of the supreme leader following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a reported joint US-Israeli strike, state news agency IRNA said.
According to the report, the council comprises the Iranian president, the head of the judiciary and a faqih (Islamic jurist) from the influential Guardian Council. The body will temporarily oversee the country’s leadership.
Under Iran’s political system, several institutions share state authority. Among them, the 88-member Assembly of Experts plays a key role. The Guardian Council vets the candidacies of members of the Assembly of Experts.
In line with constitutional provisions, the Assembly of Experts is responsible for electing the supreme leader. It also has the authority to form a leadership council, if necessary, to run the country in place of a single leader.
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei was killed in the strike on Saturday. His daughter, son-in-law and grandson were also reported killed in the same attack.
