JERUSALEM

The Israeli army threatened Sunday to assassinate members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, a body of clerics responsible for electing the country’s next supreme leader, if they convene to select a successor of Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike last week.

In a statement on the US social media company X, Israeli army spokesperson Ella Waweya said the Iranian regime is attempting to reorganize its ranks and appoint a new leader after “the elimination of Khamenei.”

She added that the Assembly of Experts, which she said had not convened for decades, is expected to meet soon in the city of Qom in central Iran.

“The long arm of Israel will continue to pursue the successor and anyone who tries to appoint him,” she said, warning that Israel would not hesitate to target those planning to participate in the meeting.

Under Iran’s political system, the supreme leader is elected by secret ballot by the Assembly of Experts, with the candidate receiving an absolute majority of votes from attending members declared the new leader.

The last leadership transition in Iran occurred in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, when the Assembly of Experts elected Khamenei as supreme leader the same day.

More than 1,200 people, including Khamenei and top military officials, have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since Feb. 28, with Tehran launching retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf nations that are home to US military assets.

*Writing by Rania Abushamala