According to a report by The Times of Israel on Friday, March 6, 2026, the leadership council in Iran has met to discuss arrangements for the selection of a new supreme leader following the death of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, state media reported.
Iranian state television said the council discussed how to organize a meeting of the country’s Assembly of Experts, which is responsible for selecting the next supreme leader.
The meeting was reportedly attended by several senior officials, including Masoud Pezeshkian, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, and cleric Ali Reza Arafi. State media said the leaders reviewed administrative and security considerations related to the process of selecting the country’s top religious and political authority.
Officials did not provide a timeline for the selection of the new supreme leader. Reports said there was also no confirmation on whether the Assembly of Experts would conduct its vote through an in-person gathering or via remote communication methods. The 88-member clerical panel known as the Assembly of Experts is constitutionally tasked with choosing and supervising the supreme leader.
According to state media reports, buildings linked to the Assembly of Experts have recently been targeted during an airstrike campaign attributed to forces from Israel and United States. Iranian officials have said the attacks were part of wider military operations affecting infrastructure linked to political and religious institutions.
The death of Khamenei, who served as supreme leader for several decades, has prompted discussions within Iranian political and religious institutions about leadership succession procedures. State television reports said security measures have been strengthened around government and clerical facilities across major cities.
Officials said the leadership council will continue consultations with senior clerics and political authorities as preparations for the Assembly of Experts meeting progress. State media added that further announcements would be made once final decisions are reached regarding the voting arrangements and security protocols surrounding the selection process.
Iran’s constitution gives the Assembly of Experts authority to appoint the supreme leader and oversee long-term leadership continuity within the country’s political and religious system. State media said discussions remain ongoing regarding procedural and logistical details of the selection process.