Iran declared today that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died, setting in motion a fast-moving and opaque contest to choose the Islamic Republic's next top authority. The 88-member Assembly of Experts, the clerical body charged by the constitution with naming a new supreme leader, now faces a decision with immediate geopolitical and economic consequences. The assembly has the formal power to appoint a single cleric or a leadership council if no individual candidate secures consensus. The Expediency Council and key clerical networks around Tehran will also press their preferences. Oil and gas exports remain the backbone of Iran's external earnings and account for roughly 40 percent of government revenues.

Source: The Hindu March 01, 2026 09:24 UTC