Iran’s Temporary Council Assumes Leadership After Khamenei’s Death—What Comes Next?

The temporary commission takes control of the nation in the midst of a war with the United States and Israel.

Pro-regime demonstrators gather at a square to mourn the death of Iran’s leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran on March 1, 2026. Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

After the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Tehran, a temporary council has taken over the leadership of the nation.

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on the people of Iran to rise up against the regime, explicitly tying U.S. interests in the region to regime change and preventing a nuclear-armed Iran.