Israeli and American airstrikes on Tuesday, March 3,
struck a building used by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the constitutional
body responsible for appointing the country’s supreme leader, Iranian media
reported.
The strikes come just days after the reported killing
of Iran’s former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, during a wave of joint
US–Israeli attacks on Saturday, February 28. According to the Tasnim News
Agency, “American-Zionist criminals attacked the Assembly of Experts
building in Qom,” a city located south of Tehran.
The Assembly of Experts plays a crucial constitutional
role in Iran, with the authority to appoint, supervise, and, if necessary,
dismiss the supreme leader. Footage aired by local outlets showed extensive
damage to the building in Qom following the bombardment. However, there were no
immediate reports of casualties.
The Mehr News Agency reported that the damaged
structure had not been in active use for official meetings. Tasnim also stated
that earlier strikes on Monday, March 2, targeted the Assembly’s main
headquarters in Tehran.
On Sunday, March 1, Iran confirmed it had initiated a
formal leadership transition process after announcing Khamenei’s death. The
plan involves establishing an interim leadership council made up of the
president, the head of the judiciary, and a jurist from the powerful Guardian
Council, which oversees legislation and vets electoral candidates.
Senior Iranian official Ali Larijani is also
expected to play a key role in managing the transition. The interim council
will govern temporarily while the Assembly of Experts begins the process of
selecting a permanent successor, as tensions continue to rise amid ongoing
military exchanges.
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