Who rules Iran?
The ultimate authority is held by the Supreme Leader, the guardian jurist who is effectively Iran’s leader for life, per the constitution.
?
Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei
Supreme Leader since 1989
Killed on Feb. 28, 2026
Who’s in charge right now?
The temporary Leadership Council holds power until the next Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.
Masoud
Pezeshkian
Gholamhossein
Mohseni Ejei
Alireza
Arafi
President
Head of Judiciary
Senior Cleric
The powers of
the Supreme Leader
Military
Politics
Economic
Religious
Judicial
Media
Informally
approves*
Supreme
Leader
Oversees
Cabinet
President
Commands
Appoints
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Elite wing of Iranian military of 150,000 to 190,000 troops comprising of an army, navy, air force and intelligence wing
Clerics to the Guardian Council
The Council approves candidates for the Assembly of Experts, parliament and the presidency, and oversees the activities of the parliament
Basij
Volunteer paramilitary group that enforces Islamic morality among the public, a sub-layer of IRGC
Expediency Council
Around 50 seats, mediates between parliament and Guardian Council
Judiciary
Controls the Revolutionary Courts and prison system
Regular Armed Forces
Economic entities
Powerful networks such as the Astan Quds Razavi, a foundation which oversees the shrine of Imam Reza, and other major bonyads – charitable trusts – that operate vast economic empires and businesses across Iran
Friday prayer network
Delivers political messaging and ideological control
Head of IRIB state media (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting)
State monopoly on TV and radio
Key players to watch
The Assembly of Experts will pick the next Supreme Leader as there is no official heir. Here are some likely candidates.
Mojtaba Khamenei
Alireza Arafi
Mohammad
Mehdi Mirbagheri
Son of the recently
killed Supreme Leader
Senior cleric
Cleric
Ali Larijani
Hassan
Rouhani
Hashem Hosseini
Bushehri
Secretary of Iran’s
Supreme National
Security Council
Senior cleric
Former president
Hassan Khomeinei
Mohammad
Bagher Ghalibaf
Grandson of the
founder of the
Republic of Iran
Speaker of
the Parliament
The Supreme Leader’s power structure
Who rules Iran?
The ultimate authority is held by the Supreme Leader, the guardian jurist who is effectively Iran’s leader for life, per the constitution.
?
Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei
Supreme Leader since 1989
Killed on Feb. 28, 2026
Who’s in charge right now?
The temporary Leadership Council holds power until the next Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.
Masoud
Pezeshkian
Gholamhossein
Mohseni Ejei
Alireza
Arafi
President
Head of Judiciary
Senior Cleric
The powers of the Supreme Leader
Military
Politics
Economic
Religious
Judicial
Media
Informally
approves*
Supreme
Leader
Oversees
Cabinet
President
Commands
Appoints
Clerics to the
Guardian Council
The Council approves candidates for the Assembly of Experts, parliament and the presidency, and oversees the activities of the parliament
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Elite wing of Iranian military of 150,000 to 190,000 troops comprising of an army, navy, air force and intelligence wing
Basij
Volunteer paramilitary group that enforces Islamic morality among the public, a sub-layer of IRGC
Expediency Council
Around 50 seats, mediates between parliament and Guardian Council
Judiciary
Controls the Revolutionary Courts and prison system
Regular Armed Forces
Economic entities
Powerful networks such as the Astan Quds Razavi, a foundation which oversees the shrine of Imam Reza, and other major bonyads – charitable trusts – that operate vast economic empires and businesses across Iran
Friday prayer network
Delivers political messaging and ideological control
Head of IRIB state media (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting)
State monopoly on TV and radio
Key players to watch
The Assembly of Experts will pick the next Supreme Leader as there is no official heir. Here are some likely candidates.
Mojtaba Khamenei
Alireza Arafi
Mohammad
Mehdi Mirbagheri
Son of the recently
killed Supreme Leader
Senior cleric
Cleric
Hassan Rouhani
Hashem
Hosseini Bushehri
Ali Larijani
Former president
Secretary of Iran’s
Supreme National
Security Council
Senior cleric
Hassan Khomeinei
Mohammad
Bagher Ghalibaf
Grandson of the
founder of the
Republic of Iran
Speaker of
the Parliament
Who’s in charge right now?
Who rules Iran?
The temporary Leadership Council holds power until the next Supreme Leader is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.
The ultimate authority is held by the Supreme Leader, the guardian jurist who is effectively Iran’s leader for life, per the constitution.
?
Masoud
Pezeshkian
Gholamhossein
Mohseni Ejei
Alireza
Arafi
Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei
Supreme Leader since 1989
President
Head of Judiciary
Senior Cleric
Killed on Feb. 28, 2026
The powers of the Supreme Leader
Military
Politics
Economic
Religious
Judicial
Media
Supreme
Leader
Oversees
President
Commands
Informally
approves*
Appoints
Cabinet
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
Elite wing of Iranian military of 150,000 to 190,000 troops comprising of an army, navy, air force and intelligence wing
Clerics to the Guardian Council
The Council approves candidates for the Assembly of Experts, parliament and the presidency, and oversees the activities of the parliament
Judiciary
Controls the Revolutionary Courts and prison system
Economic entities
Powerful networks such as the Astan Quds Razavi, a foundation which oversees the shrine
of Imam Reza, and other major bonyads – charitable trusts –
that operate vast economic empires and businesses across Iran
Friday prayer network
Delivers political messaging and ideological control
Basij
Volunteer paramilitary group that enforces Islamic morality among the public, a sub-layer of IRGC
Expediency Council
Around 50 seats, mediates between parliament and Guardian Council
Head of IRIB state media (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting)
State monopoly on TV and radio
Regular Armed Forces
Key players to watch
The Assembly of Experts will pick the next Supreme Leader as there is no official heir. Here are some likely candidates.
Mojtaba Khamenei
Alireza Arafi
Mohammad
Mehdi Mirbagheri
Hassan Rouhani
Hashem
Hosseini Bushehri
Son of the recently
killed Supreme Leader
Senior cleric
Former president
Cleric
Senior cleric
Ali Larijani
Hassan Khomeinei
Mohammad
Bagher Ghalibaf
Grandson of the
founder of the
Republic of Iran
Secretary of Iran’s
Supreme National
Security Council
Speaker of
the Parliament
