Iran’s Assembly of Experts selects new supreme leader, name yet to be announced

ISTANBUL

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected a new supreme leader to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike, a senior Iranian cleric said Sunday.

“All rumors and reports suggesting that the Assembly of Experts has not yet made a decision are completely false,” Ahmad Alamolhoda said in statements carried by the Mehr News Agency.

He said the leadership vote had already taken place and a successor had been chosen, without giving his name.

Alamolhoda said under Iran’s Constitution, no one, including members of the Assembly of Experts, has the right to change their vote once the decision is made.

He added that the announcement of the decision depends on Ayatollah Hashem Hosseini Bushehri, who is responsible for officially communicating the assembly’s decision to the public.

More than 1,200 people, including Khamenei and top military officials, have been killed and over 10,000 others injured in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since Feb. 28, according to Iranian official data.

Tehran retaliated with launching drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf nations that are home to US military assets.