Iran’s Assembly of Experts elects new Supreme Leader, announcement pending

• Iran’s Assembly of Experts reportedly elects new Supreme Leader.
• Formal announcement delayed due to procedural and security debates.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected a new Supreme Leader, senior council member Ahmad Alamolhoda confirmed Sunday. The council’s secretariat will announce the leader’s identity officially, he said.

Alamolhoda emphasized that, according to Iran’s constitution, no member can alter their vote once cast. Earlier reports indicated the Assembly had agreed on the most suitable successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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Another council member, Ayatollah Mohammad Mahdi Mirbagheri, stated that a majority consensus has been reached on the next leader. Iranian media agency Fars reported that the internal election process is complete, making the public announcement a matter of timing.

Procedural hurdles delay announcement

Sources told reporters that procedural and legal considerations remain unresolved. Debate continues over whether the final declaration must occur at a full in-person meeting of all 88 Assembly members or if the secretariat can finalize the result remotely.

Some council members argue that ongoing security concerns and wartime conditions make convening all members in person risky. Others insist on strict adherence to legal procedures, which require direct voting under council supervision.

Under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution, the Assembly of Experts must select a new Supreme Leader promptly following the death, resignation, or dismissal of the previous leader. Until the new Supreme Leader assumes office, a temporary leadership committee, including the president, head of the judiciary, and a member chosen by the Guardian Council, manages state affairs.

The new leader’s official unveiling is expected imminently, though exact timing remains uncertain amid the ongoing procedural debate.