Who is Ayatollah Arafi? Iran names interim Supreme Leader following the killing of Ali Khamenei
Following Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, Alireza Arafi has been named interim Supreme Leader of Iran. He holds various positions, including member of the Guardian Council and head of the Basij.
Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi has been named as the interim Supreme Leader of Iran, following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian media reported on Sunday.
"The Expediency Discernment Council has elected Ayatollah Alireza Arafi as a member of the interim leadership council," said expediency council spokesman Mohsen Dehnavi in a post on X.
Other members of the interim council are President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. The Council will handle the supreme leader's duties until the Assembly of Experts selects a successor "as soon as possible".
Who is Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi?
Ayatollah Arafi has been a member of both constitutional watchdog Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts that will choose the next leader. He was handpicked by late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a member of the Guardian Council in 2019.
Ayatollah Arafi is also the head of the Basij paramilitary force and the former chairman of Al-Mustafa International University, Qom.
Even before Saturday's attack that killed Ali Khamenei, Arafi was long considered one of the top contenders to succeed him due to his deep institutional ties and administrative experience.
67-year-old Arafi, whose father, Mohammad Ibrahim al-Arafi, was a close friend of Ruhollah Khomeini, is considered a hardliner.
‘Declaration of war against Muslims’
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian said the killing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a "declaration of war against Muslims" on Sunday, vowing vengeance.
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani then vowed to hit the US and Israel with a force never seen before.
The Iranian Supreme Leader who led the country for more than four decades, along with his family members were killed in the US-Israeli attacks on Saturday.
Several top security officials and government figures have also been killed in the ongoing attacks.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps pledged revenge and says it has launched attacks on 27 bases hosting US troops in the Middle East, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv.
Illegitimate, says Pahlavi
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late pro-Western shah deposed in the 1979 Islamic revolution, said any successor within the system would be illegitimate.
Hailing the demise of Khamenei, Pahlavi said: "With his death, the Islamic Republic has effectively come to an end and will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history."
Pahlavi, who has spent most of his life in exile near Washington, has presented himself as a transitional figure to a secular democracy, but he does not enjoy support from across the opposition.
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Bobins loves telling the human side of all stories, from the intersection of geopolitics, international relations, and conflicts around the world. In his nearly one-and-a-half-decade career as a journalist, Bobins has covered South Asia, the Middle East, and North America, from elections to mass protests and conflicts. <br> Bobins has also done extensive reporting on environmental issues, climate change, and sustainability, focusing on solutions and people working to make the planet a better place to live. <br> In 2018, Bobins was awarded by Times Internet for the impact of his story on Delhi tree cuttings. Bobins also loves telling the stories of Indian startups and the journey of their founders. <br> Total Years of Experience: 14 <br> Years of experience at LM: Bobins has been a part of Live Mint since February 2026 <br> Interests: When he is not tracking conflicts, Bobins loves to cook, travel across India, click photos, and watch documentaries on history. Past Experience: Before joining Live Mint, Bobins worked with The Indian Express, where he led the Global Breaking News coverage, Indiatimes, where he led the news team, covering everything trending, ANI, where the focus of his coverage was South Asia, and NBS News. <br> Current Role: Bobins is currently working as an Assistant Editor at Live Mint.