Targeted operation disrupts leadership transition process while messages signal fate of Tehran’s ruling elite.
A dramatic message posted in Persian declared: “It doesn’t matter who is elected today, their fate is already sealed — only the Iranian people will choose their future leader.”
The statement followed reports that Israel struck the building of the Assembly of Experts in Qom, located in central-western Iran. The Assembly is the constitutional body responsible for appointing the next Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic following the elimination of Ali Khamenei.
According to an Israeli security source, the Israel Defense Forces targeted the building during a vote to determine the successor. The source stated that fewer than the full 88 council members were present at the time of the strike.
However, conflicting accounts emerged from Iranian media, which claimed the building was empty and that no officials were inside during the incident.
The Assembly of Experts plays a central role in safeguarding the regime’s continuity, making any reported strike on its premises symbolically and strategically significant. While Tehran attempts to manage the narrative, the competing reports highlight the uncertainty surrounding events on the ground.
The situation continues to develop amid escalating tensions, with regional stability and Iran’s internal power structure under intense scrutiny.
