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Iran has announced the formation of a three-member interim leadership council to govern the country following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top Iranian officials.

Getting into it: The announcement was made by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a televised address confirming that the transitional body had formally begun operating. His appearance marked his first public comments since reports surfaced claiming he had been among the figures targeted during the coordinated US-Israeli operation that killed Khamenei. In his remarks, he said that Iran’s armed forces are “powerfully crushing the enemy’s bases,” while also stressing that revenge is a “legitimate right and duty.” Framing the transition as orderly and constitutionally mandated, he stated, “Today the interim Leadership Council has started its work,” and later added, “The interim leadership council started its work… we will continue with all our strength along the path set by Imam Khomeini.”

The three-member body, formed under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution, will temporarily assume the powers of the supreme leader until the 88-member Assembly of Experts selects a permanent successor “as soon as possible.” It consists of Pezeshkian, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i. Arafi is a senior cleric and Guardian Council jurist who has served on the 12-member body since 2019. Mohseni-Eje’i is the head of Iran’s judiciary.

This all comes as President Trump signaled openness to talks with Tehran’s new authorities. In an interview with The Atlantic, Trump said, “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them. They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long.”

Referring to the strike’s impact on Iran’s leadership ranks, he added, “Most of those people are gone. Some of the people we were dealing with are gone, because that was a big—that was a big hit.”