Who Is Alireza Arafi? The man helping lead Iran after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a senior Iranian Shia cleric, has become an important figure in Iran’s leadership transition after the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

 According to news agency ISNA, Arafi has been appointed as the jurist member of the interim Leadership Council. This constitutional body will carry out the responsibilities of the Supreme Leader until a permanent successor is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.

Born in 1959 in Meybod, Iran, Arafi, now 67, has long been part of Iran’s clerical and political system. He holds the high religious title of Ayatollah, which means he is a senior Islamic scholar qualified to interpret religious law (ijtihad).

Arafi’s rise in Iran’s religious institutions has been steady and wide-ranging. He is a member of the Guardian Council, a powerful constitutional body that oversees elections, vets candidates, and reviews laws to ensure they follow Islamic principles and the constitution.

He also serves in the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that has the authority to elect — and in rare cases, oversee — Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Apart from these roles, Arafi has held several key positions in Iran’s religious and educational institutions. He was the former chairman of Al-Mustafa International University, an academic institution that trains religious scholars from Iran and other countries.

He has also served as a Friday prayers leader in Qom, the spiritual centre of Shia seminaries. In addition, he has been involved in supervising the country’s seminaries (hawzas), which play a central role in religious scholarship and clerical training in Iran.

According to his supporters and fellow clerics, Arafi is known for his strong academic background and deep institutional connections within Iran’s theocratic system.

These qualities have made him a trusted figure in the Islamic Republic’s leadership structure, especially during times of change.

Under Iran’s constitutional system, the interim Leadership Council — made up of Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei — will jointly carry out the duties of the Supreme Leader until a permanent successor is chosen by the Assembly of Experts.

This arrangement shows the urgency of ensuring continuity in leadership and highlights the close link between religious and political power in Iran.

Arafi’s appointment comes at a critical time for Iran, as the country faces regional tensions and internal uncertainty following Khamenei’s death. Observers say his religious status and long experience within key institutions make him a stabilising presence during this important political and religious transition.