Ayatollah Alireza appointed to temporary council that will govern till new supreme leader elected
Tehran: Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been appointed to a three-member temporary council that, under Iran’s law, will govern until a new supreme leader can potentially be chosen.
The 67-year-old cleric is a member of the Guardian Council, the powerful constitutional watchdog body that must later select a supreme leader. His appointment to the temporary council was confirmed by the Expediency Council, an influential arbitration body.
Arafi will now serve alongside hardline cleric and judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei and President Masoud Pezeshkian on the interim body.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and security chief Ali Larijani are also expected to play key roles in shaping the political landscape, though it remains unclear where the balance of power will ultimately lie.
Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the IRGC has reportedly been assassinated for the second time in less than a year. The identity of the next leader of the powerful military and economic force has not yet been officially announced.
IRGC-linked Telegram channels are citing deputy chief Ahmad Vahidi as a likely candidate. Vahidi was appointed to the post by Khamenei two months ago.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
