Iranian Ayatollah Arafi Is Appointed Supreme Leader After Khamenei’s Death – Led by Chants of “Death to America!”
Ayatollah Arafi was appointed Iran’s temporary leader after Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on Saturday. – Iranian news
On Saturday, following weeks of unsuccessful negotiations, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated military operation called “Operation Epic Fury” targeting the government of Iran.
According to reports, the strikes killed several senior Iranian officials, including:
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Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader
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Ali Shamkhani, Defense Council Secretary and senior advisor
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Mohammad Pakpour, IRGC commander
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Aziz Nasirzadeh, Defense Minister
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Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of General Staff
The acting Supreme Leader of Iran is now Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.
Here’s him in 2019 leading the crowd chanting “Death to America, Death to England, Death to the hypocrites and the infidels, Death to Israel.”
I don’t think he’s going to last very long. pic.twitter.com/QNbPFzsRjr
— Yehuda Teitelbaum (@chalavyishmael) March 1, 2026
Initial reports indicate that as many as 40 high-ranking officials may have been killed in the coordinated attack, though full confirmation has not yet been provided.
In retaliation, Iran launched strikes that resulted in the deaths of three Americans, with five others reported to be in serious condition.
Following the deaths of key leaders, Iran announced that Ayatollah Arafi has been appointed to a three-member interim leadership council alongside the country’s president and chief justice. There were unconfirmed rumors that Arafi had also been killed in a strike, but those reports have not been verified.
In 2019, Arafi was seen leading a crowd in chants of “Death to America” and “Death to England.”
The operation was carried out under the administration of Donald Trump.
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