Iranian Media: Supreme Leader Election Could Be Delayed to Next Week

Iran’s Fars News Agency reported late on the 3rd, citing sources, that the election of Iran’s Supreme Leader may be postponed until next week. The sources said that the highest-level security measures have been implemented to ensure the smooth election of the Supreme Leader by the expert assembly. The election may be held in person after the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Khamenei.

Earlier, Fars News Agency reported that the attack on the office building of the Iranian Expert Assembly in Qom, south of Tehran, was confirmed, but no meeting was taking place there at the time. For security reasons, assembly members voted remotely. The report also stated that the voting was conducted in a secure environment, orderly, and emphasized that the election was in its final stages, with results likely to be announced soon.

Videos released by Iranian media show that the office building of the Iranian Expert Assembly has been completely reduced to rubble. Some Israeli media reported that assembly members were in a meeting to elect a new Supreme Leader when the attack occurred during the vote count; not all members were present at the time.

Khamenei was killed in the February 28 attack by the United States and Israel on Iran. According to Fars News Agency on the 3rd, Khamenei will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran, with the date of the funeral yet to be announced.

The Iranian Expert Assembly is the highest authority responsible for electing, supervising, and dismissing Iran’s Supreme Leader. (Xinhua)