Assembly of Experts
88-member clerical body that appoints Iran's Supreme Leader; named Mojtaba Khamenei under IRGC pressure.
Last refreshed: 28 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Eight clerics boycotted, the IRGC pre-pledged loyalty: was this a selection or a coronation?
Latest on Assembly of Experts
- What is Iran's Assembly of Experts?
- An 88-member clerical body constitutionally empowered to appoint, supervise and remove Iran's Supreme Leader. Members must be mujtahids and are elected for eight-year terms.
- Who did the Assembly of Experts choose as Supreme Leader?
- The Assembly appointed Mojtaba Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader's 56-year-old son, on 7 March 2026 in an emergency online session. Eight members boycotted under protest at IRGC pressure.Source: event
- Was the Assembly of Experts destroyed?
- The Assembly's headquarters in Qom was destroyed in the opening US-Israeli strikes on 28 February 2026. The succession vote was conducted online.Source: event
- How many Assembly members boycotted the Supreme Leader vote?
- At least eight members boycotted the succession vote, protesting IRGC pressure over the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei.Source: event
- How is Iran's Supreme Leader chosen?
- The Supreme Leader is appointed by the Assembly of Experts. Candidates must constitutionally hold marja theological credentials. The Assembly previously chose a new leader only once, naming Khamenei in 1989.
Background
The 88-member clerical body is constitutionally empowered to appoint, supervise and remove the Supreme Leader. Members must hold the rank of mujtahid (qualified to issue religious rulings) and are elected by popular vote for eight-year terms, though candidates are pre-vetted by the Guardian Council. In practice, the Assembly has never exercised its supervisory or removal powers; its only previous succession was naming Khamenei in 1989 after Ayatollah Khomeini's death.
The Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's third Supreme Leader on 7 March 2026, the first dynastic succession in the Islamic Republic's history. The vote was conducted in an emergency online session after the Assembly's Qom headquarters was destroyed in the opening strikes. At least eight members boycotted under protest at IRGC pressure.
The circumstances of Mojtaba's appointment have undermined the Assembly's constitutional legitimacy. The IRGC pledged "complete obedience and self-sacrifice" within hours, pre-empting any deliberation. Mojtaba lacks the marja theological credentials constitutionally required, has not appeared publicly since installation, and Israel has vowed to kill any named successor.
