How is the Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Elected?

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” US President Donald Trump had told Axios in an interview on March 5, 2026. “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” he continued.

In the intricate theocratic system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the position of Supreme Leader, or Rahbar, stands as the country’s highest political and religious authority. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has had only two Supreme Leaders: its founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and his successor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The process of selecting this pivotal figure is not one of public election but a carefully managed clerical deliberation, designed to ensure the new leader embodies the state’s foundational ideology of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist).

The Assembly of Experts: The Electing Body

At the heart of the succession mechanism is the Assembly of Experts. This body is a council of 88 senior Islamic jurists and clerics who are directly elected by the public to eight-year terms. While popularly elected, the candidacy of all individuals running for this assembly is subject to approval by another powerful oversight body, the Guardian Council, ensuring that only those with acceptable revolutionary and theological credentials can participate in the selection of the leader.

The primary and solemn responsibility of the Assembly of Experts, as enshrined in Article 107 of the Iranian Constitution, is to appoint the Supreme Leader. In the event of the leader’s death, resignation, or incapacitation, the assembly is constitutionally mandated to convene “as soon as possible” to designate a successor, by a simple majority. This council also holds the power to theoretically dismiss a sitting leader should he fail to fulfill his duties, a power that has never been exercised.

The Constitutional Qualifications for Leadership

Article 109 of the Iranian Constitution lays out the strict qualifications that a potential Supreme Leader must possess. These attributes blend profound religious scholarship with worldly competence, reflecting the dual nature of the office which oversees both the spiritual and political realms of the state.

The qualifications can be categorized into three main requirements:

• Religious Scholarship and Jurisprudence: The candidate must possess “strong religious knowledge in Islamic law”. He must be a qualified jurist (faqih), capable of issuing authoritative religious opinions and guiding the state according to Shia Islamic principles.

• Justice and Piety: The individual must be “just and pious”, demonstrating unwavering faith and moral integrity. He must be considered a faithful and trustworthy steward of the Islamic community.

• Political and Social Acumen: Perhaps most crucially for a head of state, the candidate must demonstrate “political and social insight, prudence, courage, and administrative competence”. He must be capable of leadership and sound judgment in managing the affairs of the country.

Interim Transition: The Temporary Leadership Council

To prevent a power vacuum, the Constitution provides for an interim arrangement. If there is a delay in the selection of a permanent leader, a Temporary Leadership Council assumes the duties of the Supreme Leader. According to Article 111 of the Constitution, this council is composed of three figures: the President of the Republic, the Head of the Judiciary, and a cleric from the Guardian Council chosen by the Expediency Council. This provisional body governs until the Assembly of Experts completes its vital task of selecting the new permanent Rahbar. Currently, the temporary council comprises President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and Ayatollah Alireza Arafi from the Guardian Council.

In conclusion, the selection of Iran’s Supreme Leader is a two-stage process filtered through the regime’s clerical establishment. While the public votes for the members of the Assembly of Experts, the candidates for that assembly are vetted by the Guardian Council. The assembly then deliberates in secret to choose one of its own – or another senior cleric – who embodies the ideal of the just and capable Islamic jurist. It is a system designed for continuity, ensuring the new leader is a product of, and a protector of, the revolutionary system he is chosen to lead.