From Qom Cleric To Iran’s Interim Supreme Leader: Alireza Arafi’s Rise To Power Amid Iran Strife

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has swiftly moved from relative obscurity outside Iran’s clerical circles to the center of power as the country’s Interim Supreme Leader. A senior figure based in Qom, he built his influence through key roles within Iran’s religious and political institutions, including leadership of the national seminary system and membership in the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts. A former head of Al-Mustafa International University, he is considered a loyalist trusted by the Revolutionary Guard. Sanctioned by Canada over his response to the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, Arafi represents ideological continuity during a pivotal transition.