Iran: Assembly of Experts to choose Khamenei's successor within 24 hours
In a rapidly developing situation in the capital, Tehran, a member of Assembly of Experts on Saturday that the Assembly is about to hold an emergency and decisive meeting within one day to choose a new Supreme Leader for the Islamic Republic, according to local and international media reports.
The Fars News Agency quoted Hossein Mozaffari, a member of the 88-member council of senior clerics, as saying, "God willing, this crucial session will be held within the next 24 hours." This announcement comes at a highly sensitive time, a week after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli attack, an event that has cast a long shadow over the political and security landscape of the region.
The mechanism of constitutional transition and the role of the historical council
The Assembly of Experts is the primary body constitutionally mandated to appoint the Supreme Leader and dismiss him if he becomes incapable of fulfilling his duties or loses any of the qualifications stipulated in the Iranian Constitution. This body gains paramount importance during periods of leadership vacuum, as this event recalls the historic meeting held by the Assembly in 1989 following the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ruhollah Khomeini, which resulted in the selection of Ali Khamenei as his successor.
The Assembly of Experts is composed of jurists elected by direct popular vote for an eight-year term, after undergoing rigorous vetting by the Guardian Council. Article 107 of the Iranian Constitution mandates that the Assembly select a Supreme Leader who possesses the qualities of jurisprudence, justice, and political and social competence, making their upcoming meeting the most significant event in modern Iranian history in decades.
The implications of choosing the new leader on the regional landscape
The decision of the Assembly of Experts extends far beyond Iran's domestic affairs, impacting the entire geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. The Supreme Leader in Iran's political system holds ultimate authority over major policies, including the nuclear program, foreign policy, and the command of the armed forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Therefore, the character of the next Supreme Leader will significantly shape how Iran deals with escalating tensions, particularly in light of its open confrontation with the United States and Israel.
The international community is watching closely to see whether the choice will fall on a hardliner inclined toward military escalation in response to the assassination, or a pragmatic figure who might seek to de-escalate the situation and avert a full-blown war. In this context, Mozaffari urged Iranian citizens to "refrain from any speculation or spreading rumors on this matter," emphasizing that the council has not yet convened and that the final decision will be issued through official channels.
