Larijani Takes Control of Iran Following Death of Supreme Leader in Airstrikes
US and Israeli strikes eliminate top military brass and security advisors as the Revolutionary Guard threatens an intense offensive operation
Image: Matt Weston / AI
Carla Rooney
A precision bombardment has reduced a high-security compound in Tehran to a skeletal ruin of twisted rebar and grey dust. Within the wreckage, the 85-year-old cleric Ali Khamenei and his son, Mojtaba, lay dead, marking the end of a theological dynasty that has gripped Iran for thirty-five years.
Beyond the clerical losses, the military toll extends to the highest echelons of the administration, including the army chief of staff and the defense minister. A top security advisor also perished in the bombardment.
President Donald Trump stated the operation eliminated 48 Iranian leaders over a single 24-hour period. Trump characterized the death of Khamenei as the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.
The single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.
He further claimed that significant portions of the Revolutionary Guard and police forces no longer possess the will to fight. In the wake of the chaos, Ali Larijani, acting as the head of security, announced that a leadership council would be established this Sunday.
This body will oversee the transition as the Assembly of Experts prepares to select a permanent successor to end four decades of Khamenei’s rule. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that the power of officials and defensive forces following the council's formation will be beyond imagination.
This shift occurs as the Revolutionary Guard threatens to initiate its most intense offensive operation ever against Israel and US bases. The sudden elevation of Larijani follows the death of Mojtaba Khamenei, who had long been positioned as the frontrunner for the succession.
The removal of the hereditary heir-apparent leaves a vacuum in a system that has relied on the Khamenei lineage since 1989. This moment represents the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah, claimed the current regime has reached its end and will be consigned to the dustbin of history. Pahlavi urged the Iranian military and law enforcement to seize this final opportunity to join the nation.
He stated that any attempts by the remaining loyalists to appoint a successor are doomed to fail from the outset. The geopolitical landscape shifts rapidly as US and Israeli representatives labeled Iran's previous actions a clear threat to regional stability.
Anwar Gargash claimed that the Iranian leadership’s recent maneuvers played directly into the hands of the United States. Internal divisions remain sharp, with an Iranian reformist group stating that foreign bombs are not messengers of democracy but seeds of destruction.
Foreign bombs are not messengers of democracy but seeds of destruction.
Conversely, Iran's representative to the United Nations delivered a scathing rebuke to the United States regarding the violation of sovereignty. The history of the regime’s internal security defined itself through deep-seated paranoia.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad previously claimed that Mossad agents were closer to the leadership than their own ears. Before the strikes, Hassan Khomeini stood as a serious candidate for the succession.
Now, the Assembly of Experts must navigate a landscape where the primary candidates have been removed by kinetic force. Reza Nasri described the current situation as a geopolitical project aimed at reducing Iran to a submissive entity.
He contrasted this with a national movement that resists surrendering the country’s fate to foreign powers. During a 12-day conflict with Israel last year, Khamenei reportedly identified three potential successors in secret.
Donald Trump claimed to know the identity of the next movement, stating, 'I know exactly who but I cannot tell you.' Anahita Motazed Rad stated that ending the current regime is impossible without international support.
Meanwhile, diaspora groups reacted with jubilation to the news of the Supreme Leader's passing. The US president described the late Khamenei as one of the most evil people in history.
Trump confirmed he believes there are good options available for the future leadership of the country. Iran's missile stockpiles and weaponry currently sit under significant strain following the sustained aerial campaign.
The coming days will determine if the Revolutionary Guard can execute its promised offensive or if the command structure has been too thoroughly dismantled.