Ayatollah Khamenei death: Who will lead Iran after Supreme leader's death? What does its constitution say? Explained

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a large-scale strike carried out by Israel and the United States, according to Iranian state media on Sunday, a development that casts uncertainty over the future of the Islamic Republic and heightens concerns of regional instability.

President Donald Trump announced his death hours earlier, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country.

State outlets mentioned the 86-year-old leader died in an airstrike that targeted his compound in central Tehran. Satellite imagery released by Airbus indicated that the location had been extensively bombed, according to AP.

According to state television, his death at his office “showed that he consistently stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities, confronting what officials call global arrogance.” Iran’s Cabinet declared that this “great crime will never go unanswered".

Article 111 of the constitution stipulates that, until a new leader is chosen, a temporary three-member council will carry out the supreme leader’s responsibilities. This body comprises the president, the head of the judiciary, and a senior cleric from the 12-member Guardian Council, whose appointment must be approved by the Expediency Council, a high-level arbitration panel whose members are appointed by the supreme leader.

Although the Assembly of Experts is constitutionally obligated to select a successor “as swiftly as possible” after Khamenei’s death, the law does not set a clear deadline. If no contender secures a two-thirds majority, the interim three-member council could, in principle, remain in charge for an extended period. While its members are considered loyal to Khamenei, the stance of the sitting president, whether reformist or hardline, could subtly shape the political climate during such a sensitive transition.

In practice, the Assembly’s choice will likely require alignment with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Khamenei’s inner circle and office. Though the clerical body formally holds the authority to appoint the next leader, the sway of these influential institutions at the heart of Iran’s power structure means any successor would need their backing.

Reports indicate that a three-member subcommittee within the Assembly has been compiling a “very confidential” shortlist of potential candidates. However, the secrecy surrounding its discussions has fueled further speculation.

Meanwhile, according to the semiofficial Fars News Agency, citing unnamed sources, Khamenei’s daughter and son-in-law, one of his grandchildren and a daughter-in-law were also killed in Saturday’s strike.

Iran’s authorities announced 40 days of national mourning and declared a week-long public holiday in observance of his death, as per AP.

Like many figures who would later lead Iran, he studied under Ruhollah Khomeini at the seminary in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, in the early 1960s before Khomeini was exiled to Iraq and later France.

Khamenei became active in the movement opposing the shah and spent periods both imprisoned and in hiding. After Khomeini returned to Iran in February 1979 and declared the Islamic Republic, Khamenei was appointed to the influential Revolutionary Council. In 1981, he was elected as Iran’s third president; that same year, a bombing carried out by opponents left one of his hands paralyzed.

With his thick glasses and reserved demeanor, Khamenei did not project the commanding presence or charismatic intensity associated with Khomeini, the architect of the Islamic Revolution. Nor did he possess comparable religious credentials, initially holding the mid-ranking clerical title of hojatolislam within the Shiite hierarchy.

Following Khomeini’s death, Khamenei was elevated to the position of supreme leader and was swiftly promoted to the rank of grand ayatollah, the highest clerical status, a transition that left him facing years of scrutiny and doubts about his qualifications.