EXPLAINER: With top figures dead, who is now running Iran?

Iran’s veteran supreme leader and a number of senior officials, including commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), were killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes. Despite these losses, the ruling system has retained the ability to plan and operate amid the war that began on February 28.

Since its 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic has built a complex structure of power, with layered institutions designed to survive beyond individual leaders. Its resilience relies on the survival of the theocratic system rather than a single figure.

Is the Supreme Leader Still in Charge?

The late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in office since 1989, held ultimate authority over Iran’s political and military systems. Under the ideology of velayat-e faqih (“rule of the Islamic jurist”), the supreme leader wields temporal power on behalf of Shi’ite Islam’s 12th imam.

Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, has inherited the formal powers of the office but lacks his father’s automatic authority. Reportedly wounded in the strikes, he has only issued two written statements and has not appeared publicly, raising questions about his condition.

The Role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps

The IRGC has grown steadily in influence and now plays a central role in strategic decision-making. Its “mosaic” organizational structure allows units to operate independently, with replacements already designated for fallen commanders.

Despite early losses, the IRGC has maintained a functioning command structure, reflecting decades of experience, including its leadership in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and regional conflicts through allied proxy groups.

Political Leadership Amid the Conflict

Iran’s political system blends clerical authority with an elected president and parliament, both of which remain influential alongside the IRGC.

The deaths of key figures such as Ali Larijani, the late Khamenei’s adviser, and Revolutionary Guards naval chief Alireza Tangsiri, represent major blows to the leadership. Remaining politicians may adopt more hardline positions as they step into leadership roles.

Key Figures in Iran’s Current Leadership

Ahmad Vahidi – Head of the IRGC, veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, former Qods Force commander and defense minister.

Esmail Qaani – Chief of the IRGC’s Qods Force, overseeing Iran’s regional proxies since 2020.

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf – Parliament speaker, former IRGC commander and Tehran mayor; active in recent negotiations with the U.S.

Ayatollah Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei – Judiciary head, former intelligence chief, known as a hardliner.

President Masoud Pezeshkian – Most senior elected official, though his influence is limited compared to the Guards.

Saeed Jalili – Former Supreme National Security chief and hardline nuclear negotiator.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi – Guardian Council member, part of the interim leadership council after Khamenei’s death.

Abbas Araqchi – Foreign minister, veteran diplomat with experience negotiating with Western powers, Russia, China, and regional neighbors.

Despite a leadership depleted by strikes, Iran’s power structure has shown remarkable resilience, with a mix of hardline and experienced figures now guiding the country through ongoing conflict.

-Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Aidan Lewis and Lincoln Feast/Reuters