By By Elizabeth Ugbo
Iran’s Assembly of Experts will meet within 24 hours to choose a new supreme leader after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli strike, lawmaker Hossein Mozafari said on Saturday in Tehran, as regional tensions rise with drone interceptions near Baghdad and Erbil during the ongoing Middle East war.
Iran Assembly of Experts To Convene
A member of the Assembly of Experts, Hossein Mozafari, confirmed that the powerful clerical body will soon convene.
According to Iranian media, the session could take place within the next 24 hours.
“With divine assistance, this session will occur within the next twenty-four hours,” Mozafari said, according to the Fars News Agency.
He also urged Iranians to avoid speculation and stop spreading rumours until the assembly formally meets.
The Assembly of Experts consists of 88 clerics responsible for selecting and supervising Iran’s supreme leader.
The meeting follows the reported killing of Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israeli attack, an incident that has heightened tensions across the region.
Explosions Heard In Baghdad And Erbil
Meanwhile, loud explosions were reported Saturday night in Baghdad and Erbil, journalists from Agence France-Presse said.
The cause of the blasts in Baghdad remains unclear.
However, a witness near the Green Zone reported that air defence systems activated above the area.
The Green Zone houses several key diplomatic missions, including the United States Embassy in Baghdad.
In Erbil, an AFP journalist heard a drone overhead followed by at least three loud explosions.
Drones Intercepted Near Baghdad Airport
Security sources also reported several drone interceptions near Baghdad International Airport since the regional conflict began.
Air defence systems have repeatedly engaged drones approaching the airport.
Authorities believe many drones target strategic locations linked to international forces.
Erbil has also faced repeated drone interceptions since the conflict started.
The city hosts a major diplomatic facility, including the United States Consulate General Erbil.
US Condemns Iran Drone Strike On Azerbaijan
At the same time, the United States Department of State condemned an Iranian drone strike earlier this week.
According to Washington, the attack targeted an airport and a school in Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, an exclave of Azerbaijan bordering Iran.
US officials said the strike injured several civilians.
“These strikes are a flagrant violation of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty,” said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
He also called the attack a needless escalation during the Middle East war.
The US warned that attacks on its partners in the region remain unacceptable.
Washington also pledged strong support for those partners if such actions continue.
