Iran appointsAyatollah Arafi to interim leadership council
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, 67, joins interim council alongside President Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Mohseni-Ejei. The cleric, serving on Iran's powerful Guardian Council, was confirmed by the Expediency Council to oversee leadership duties during the transition period after Supreme Leader Khamenei's death. The three-member body, mandated by law, will manage state affairs until the Assembly of Experts selects a successor. Arafi's appointment follows recent regional tensions including Iran's strikes against US bases and Israel.