Guardian Council

The Guardian Council is a powerful constitutional watchdog in Iran. Currently, it is newsworthy because a member, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, has been appointed to the three-member interim leadership council following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli strikes. This council, also including the Iranian president and chief justice, will lead Iran until a permanent successor is chosen. The selection process is further complicated by the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which has seen airstrikes targeting Tehran and the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting the new Supreme Leader. The Guardian Council's involvement in the interim leadership highlights its significant role in Iranian politics and the current transition period amid internal and external pressures.