- Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been appointed to Iran’s interim leadership council following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
- Under Article 111 of the Constitution, he and other council members will temporarily exercise the powers of the office until the Assembly of Experts selects a new Supreme Leader.
Iran’s interim leadership council has appointed Alireza Arafi as the clerical member now exercising the powers of the late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Arafi officially assumed the role on March 1, 2026, in line with Article 111 of Iran’s Constitution. The article provides for a temporary leadership council to take over when a Supreme Leader dies or becomes incapacitated, pending the selection of a permanent successor by the Assembly of Experts.
As part of the interim arrangement, Arafi and other council members will collectively perform the constitutional duties of the Supreme Leader during this transition period.
Born in 1959 in Meybod, Yazd Province, Arafi is a senior Shi’a cleric with decades of religious and academic experience. He studied in Qom, Iran’s religious capital, and rose through the clerical ranks to attain the title of Ayatollah.
He previously served as President of Al-Mustafa International University from 2008 to 2018 and has been the Friday Prayer Imam of Qom since 2015. Since 2016, he has overseen Iran’s nationwide seminary system.
Arafi is also a member of the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts, placing him at the heart of Iran’s political and religious institutions as the country navigates a sensitive leadership transition.
In other news…Multipro Enterprise Limited, the makers of Hypo Bleach, has cautioned Nigerians against ingesting the product amid the controversy surrounding the online clash between influencers King Mitchy and VeryDarkMan.
In a statement issued on Sunday, March 1, 2026, the company stressed that Hypo Bleach is designed solely for cleaning and disinfecting purposes and is not meant for consumption under any circumstances.
Multipro expressed alarm over viral photos and videos circulating on social media that depict the product as a drink, describing the content as misleading, staged, and potentially harmful.
The firm urged influencers and digital content creators to exercise responsibility, warning that promoting such behaviour could endanger lives and encourage unsafe trends.
It also advised young Nigerians to put their safety first and to seek appropriate support if they are facing emotional challenges.
The advisory followed viral clips showing King Mitchy and VeryDarkMan seemingly consuming a substance during their heated online dispute. The footage triggered a wave of copycat content, with some users displaying Hypo sachets to mimic the act.
The trend drew sharp criticism from parents and several celebrities, who condemned it as reckless and dangerous. Some stakeholders further called on relevant authorities to intervene and address the spread of content that could negatively influence young social media users.
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