Iran is reportedly moving to address the leadership vacuum following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was said to have been killed in a joint airstrike involving the United States and Israel.
According to The Guardian, an interim leadership structure has been outlined to steer the country during the transition period. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, along with another senior legal figure, are expected to jointly manage state affairs temporarily.
Meanwhile, Iranian state television has identified Mohammad Mokhber as the designated successor to Khamenei. Mokhber, a close aide and longtime adviser to the late leader, previously served as acting president after the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi in 2024. He also held the role of First Vice President from 2021 to 2024.
Mokhber, 71, has a professional background in engineering and business. From 2007, he headed the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order, a powerful state-run conglomerate established following the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The organisation oversees assets seized after the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty and operates in major sectors including oil, telecommunications, finance, and healthcare. In 2019, the United States imposed sanctions on Mokhber and the conglomerate.
Reports further suggest that Khamenei had prepared a succession plan during last year’s brief conflict with Israel. He was said to have identified potential replacements and arranged layered leadership measures to ensure continuity in the event of attacks targeting senior political or military officials.