Who is Ayatollah Alireza Arafi? Meet the cleric helping steer Iran through war after Khamenei’s death

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has emerged as a key figure in Iran’s power structure during one of the country’s most turbulent periods, stepping into a leadership role after the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Previously known mainly as a religious scholar and administrator, the hardline cleric is now among three senior officials tasked with guiding Iran through what is being described as its most volatile moment since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Arafi has been appointed to a temporary three-member leadership council alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei following Khamenei’s death during U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.

The council’s immediate priorities include responding to the ongoing conflict and overseeing the sensitive process of choosing Iran’s next supreme leader. The clerical establishment faces intense pressure to ensure a swift transition, as any delay could raise concerns about stability within the Islamic Republic.


In his late 60s, Arafi is less well known internationally than many of Iran’s senior clerics. However, his career has been shaped by steady promotions under Khamenei, who trusted him with several influential positions. Some within Iran’s religious establishment have even considered him a potential successor to the late supreme leader.

Born in 1959, Arafi is regarded as ideologically aligned with Khamenei’s vision that governance should be rooted in the full application of Shi’ite Islamic jurisprudence. Despite limited direct political experience, he holds significant influence due to several powerful roles he has held.

He previously served as the head of Al-Mustafa International University, an institution with seminaries and Islamic colleges in more than 50 countries that promotes Iran’s religious ideology abroad. He also leads the seminary network in the holy city of Qom, the center of Shi’ite theological learning.

In addition, Arafi sits on the Guardian Council, which vets candidates for elections and reviews legislation, and he is a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme leader.

The son of an ayatollah, Arafi began studying Islamic theology at just 11 years old after moving to Qom. Over time, he completed advanced studies in jurisprudence and philosophy and rose steadily through Iran’s clerical hierarchy.

His career gained momentum after Khamenei became supreme leader in 1989, when Arafi began serving as a Friday prayer leader in his hometown of Meybod at the age of 33 — an early sign of the trust placed in him by Iran’s top leadership. Since then, he has continued to expand his influence within both the religious and political institutions of the Islamic Republic.