Israel struck the building housing Iran's Assembly of Experts in Qom on Tuesday, targeting the institution charged with naming a successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was eliminated by Israel. Iranian reports also indicated a major strike on Mehrabad Airport in the capital, Tehran.
According to Iranian reports, the Assembly of Experts' office building was struck. On Monday, reports said, the previous building that had served as the Iranian parliament was also hit. An Iranian channel reported that a meeting had been held in the building before the strike, aimed at selecting the next leader of the Islamic Republic. Many members of the council were reportedly killed or wounded.
Video: Strikes in Iran/Arab media
"There is an orderly process here – the Assembly of Experts will choose – but there are several question marks we know nothing about," Danny Citrinowicz, a former head of the Iran Branch at Military Intelligence Directorate, said. "It is not certain this will go smoothly. We don't know whether any preparation took place behind the scenes."
Under the Iranian constitution, the Assembly of Experts – a body of 88 senior clerics – is responsible for choosing the next supreme leader. According to The New York Times, a three-member committee appointed by Khamenei himself roughly two years ago accelerated its work following the 12-day war last June and selected three candidates in the event he was eliminated, though their names have remained classified.
Iranian adviser Ali Larijani announced Tuesday morning that a leadership council had been established, comprising the president, the head of the judiciary, and one of the clerics of the Guardian Council, to replace Supreme Leader Khamenei until a successor is chosen.
