Who is running Iran now?

Interim council and competing power centers

Iran’s central authority is in transition after the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the weekend strikes. State media and official announcements say a temporary leadership mechanism has been installed: a three‑member interim council drawn from senior clerics and institutions to oversee the state during the mourning period and to manage the near‑term succession process.

That interim team is meant to hold the reins while Tehran moves through a constitutionally prescribed process to select a new supreme leader. Iran’s foreign minister and other officials have said a replacement could be chosen within days, but the exact timetable and outcome remain uncertain. Powerful domestic actors — the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the clerical establishment, the presidency and conservative and pragmatic political factions — all retain influence over who ultimately succeeds.

Why this matters

• The interim arrangement is temporary and may not command the same centralized authority as the supreme leader.
• Competing factions could jockey for influence, heightening internal instability and unpredictable policy decisions.
• The IRGC’s role remains central; its posture will shape Iran’s military and foreign responses.

Immediate implications include continued mobilization for retaliation across the region, increased security crackdowns at home and a high risk of factional infighting as elites and institutions seek to consolidate power. For foreign governments and businesses, the rapid change at the top raises uncertainty about Iran’s next diplomatic moves, the stability of oil exports, and the safety of foreign nationals and regional supply chains. U.S. and allied officials have signaled both military readiness and openness to talks with any new leadership; whether Tehran signals reciprocal willingness to negotiate will be a key factor shaping the next phase of the crisis.