THE United States has warned Iran against retaliation following American strikes, as Tehran moves to manage a sensitive leadership transition after the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli air assault.
Reuters, on Sunday, cited U.S. President Donald Trump issuing a stark warning, saying Washington would respond with overwhelming force if Iran escalates the conflict.
“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He added, “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
In Tehran, authorities announced the formation of a special council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the judiciary and a cleric from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to oversee the transition of power following Khamenei’s death.
The council is tasked with ensuring continuity of governance while the constitutional process to appoint a new Supreme Leader begins, according to reports.
Under Iran’s Constitution, the Assembly of Experts, a clerical body, holds responsibility for selecting the successor.
However, efforts to convene the council are expected to face significant security challenges as Iran remains under sustained military pressure from the United States and Israel.
Ongoing airstrikes in several key regions have heightened concerns over the safety of its members.
Historically, Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader on the same day that the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, died in 1989, in order to prevent a power vacuum. The current transition is reported to be more complex, with armed conflict and damage to strategic infrastructure complicating proceedings.
Tehran has not disclosed the location or timetable for the Assembly of Experts to meet, citing national security considerations.
Meanwhile, Iran has declared a 40-day period of public mourning following Khamenei’s killing. State media said the mourning period would include nationwide prayers, public gatherings and official tributes by political and military leaders.
National flags will be flown at half-mast on government buildings, and certain official programmes are expected to be postponed as a mark of respect.
Iranian state media confirmed that Khamenei was killed in an airstrike launched by Israel and the United States, raising fresh concerns over internal political stability.
Khamenei had served as Supreme Leader since 1989 and was the most powerful figure in Iran’s governing system, exercising decisive influence over the country’s political, security and military policies. - March 1, 2026
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