Iran steadies after strikes that killed Supreme Leader Khamenei and senior commanders
Mar 24th 2026 · Iran
US and Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top figures; Mojtaba Khamenei has inherited the role while Iran's institutional networks and the Revolutionary Guards continue to shape strategy and command.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in early US-Israeli strikes.
- Mojtaba Khamenei has assumed the formal office of supreme leader.
- The leader's bayt and clerical institutions provide broad formal authority across the state.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps holds decisive operational power and strong influence over the new leadership.
- Layered institutions and a shared commitment to regime survival have preserved Iran's ability to plan and operate in the war.
Articles
- With a host of top figures killed in war, who is now running Iran? www.scmp.com
- Iran Names New Security Chief, Futures Fall as War Drags, More www.bloomberg.com
- Iran’s New Security Chief Is a Hard-Line Former Guards Commander www.nytimes.com
- On the ground in Tehran: Civilian deaths from US-Israeli strikes (VIDEO) www.rt.com