Iranian state television confirmed early on Sunday, 1 March 2026, that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, was killed in strikes on Tehran the previous day. The government announced 40 days of national mourning alongside a week‑long public holiday following the broadcast. (gulfnews.com)
Imagery and video verified by international outlets point to extensive damage at the leadership compound in central Tehran. Satellite photos and geolocated footage show several structures destroyed and thick smoke over the site. (washingtonpost.com)
U.S. and Israeli officials had said hours earlier that the joint operation killed Khamenei; President Donald Trump publicly asserted the news before Tehran’s confirmation. State media later carried the announcement, ending a day of conflicting statements. (washingtonpost.com)
Under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution, leadership duties now pass temporarily to a three‑member council comprising the president, the head of the judiciary, and a Guardian Council jurist chosen by the Expediency Discernment Council. State television has reported that President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei are serving on this interim body, with the clerical jurist to be designated. (iranchamber.com)
The Assembly of Experts-88 clerics elected for eight‑year terms-must “as soon as possible” appoint a new Supreme Leader and retains constitutional authority to remove a leader who fails to meet the required qualifications. Candidacies for the assembly are vetted by the Guardian Council. (iranchamber.com)
Potential successors remain a matter of insider deliberation rather than public campaigning. Associated Press reporting lists Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, among rumoured contenders; the previous front‑runner, President Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash in May 2024, removing a likely candidate from contention. (apnews.com)
Beyond formal succession mechanics, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remains central to regime continuity. Article 150 entrenches the IRGC’s mandate to guard the revolution and its achievements; since the strikes the corps has pledged retaliation and resolve in public statements. (constituteproject.org)
International responses have shifted quickly to crisis management. The UN Secretary‑General condemned both the U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s subsequent attacks on regional states as contrary to the UN Charter, urging immediate de‑escalation and a return to talks. (un.org)
Nuclear‑safety oversight is also in play. Tehran has asked the IAEA Board of Governors to convene an urgent session after reported strikes on safeguarded facilities, signalling that Vienna could again become the focal point for near‑term diplomacy. (iranintl.com)
In practical terms, the next steps are procedural and operational: formal identification of the third interim council member; notification of the Assembly of Experts’ timetable; and clarity on the scope of any IRGC‑led reprisals that could constrain the interim council. The constitutional pathway is explicit; the pace of implementation amid active hostilities will determine whether the transition is rapid or protracted. (iranchamber.com)