Ali Larijani moves to consolidate power after Khamenei killing

10:15

By: Dakir Madiha

Ali Larijani moves to consolidate power after Khamenei killing

Ali Larijani has emerged as the central political operator in Tehran after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in coordinated United States and Israeli airstrikes, which struck Khamenei’s compound in the Iranian capital on February 28 and triggered the most serious succession crisis since the 1979 revolution. Iranian state media and international outlets reported that the 86‑year‑old leader was killed in the attack, prompting authorities to declare 40 days of national mourning as explosions and plumes of smoke were seen across Tehran and other cities. The strikes, part of a broader campaign targeting military and political infrastructure, also disrupted communications and fueled public anxiety, even as some videos circulating online appeared to show small groups celebrating the fall of the long‑time leader.

In a televised address, Larijani, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and has long been considered one of the country’s most influential insiders, said that an interim leadership council would be formed under constitutional procedures to manage the transition until a new supreme leader is chosen. He stressed that the president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council would jointly assume the leader’s duties, echoing the framework set out in Article 111 of the constitution and framing the move as a way to preserve institutional continuity at a moment of shock and uncertainty. At the same time, Larijani used the address to warn that attempts to fracture the state would be met with force, declaring that “those seeking to divide Iran” would not be tolerated and urging citizens to remain united while the transition unfolds.

Although Iranian media have highlighted the collective nature of the interim arrangement, Larijani’s role places him at the center of day‑to‑day decision‑making on security, foreign policy and internal control, building on months in which he had already been tasked with coordinating nuclear diplomacy, regional alliances and the response to domestic unrest. Regional outlets reported that he has been overseeing a broad portfolio that includes managing Tehran’s ties with Moscow, handling sensitive back‑channel contacts and issuing direct warnings to armed opposition and separatist groups not to exploit the current turmoil. His public remarks after the strikes also framed the assault as part of a wider American and Israeli strategy to sow fear and induce regime change, a narrative aimed at rallying political elites and the security services around a hard line against external pressure.

At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has moved aggressively to shape the succession process, with Iran International reporting that senior commanders are pressing to select a new supreme leader within hours rather than wait for the constitutionally mandated Assembly of Experts to convene. Ongoing airstrikes and fears of further attacks have made it difficult to gather the clerical body that is formally responsible for choosing Khamenei’s successor, and sources cited by the outlet say the Guards want to bypass the usual procedure to avoid a prolonged power vacuum. Reports also describe confusion inside the military hierarchy, with parts of the chain of command disrupted and some officers declining to return to bases out of concern that command centers will be targeted again, complicating efforts to coordinate any response.

The leadership transition is unfolding under the shadow of potential further confrontation with the United States and Israel, as well as the risk of renewed street protests that could challenge the system during its most vulnerable moment in decades. Iran’s foreign ministry has condemned the strikes as a grave violation of sovereignty, and the Red Crescent and other agencies have spoken of large casualty figures nationwide, underscoring the scale of the assault and the strain on state institutions as they manage both the security fallout and the political succession. How quickly the Assembly of Experts can reassert its constitutional authority, and whether Larijani and the Revolutionary Guard leadership can align around a single candidate, will determine whether this moment produces a controlled handover or opens a deeper phase of instability at the top of the Islamic Republic.