Iran’s leadership transition is proceeding under constitutional procedures following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera.
He said a Transitional Council—comprising the president, the head of the judiciary and a Guardian Council jurist—has assumed interim leadership duties until the Assembly of Experts elects a successor, a decision he suggested could come within one or two days. “Everything is in order and in line with our legal system,” he said, calling the killing “a very serious and unprecedented act” and “a blatant violation of international law”.
Araghchi added that Tehran remains open to diplomacy, in contrast to the United States, which he accused of striking Iran “for the second time during negotiations”.
Araghchi stressed that Iran has “no restrictions or limits in defending ourselves” but does not intend to escalate by disrupting maritime traffic. He said there are no plans “at this stage” to close the Strait of Hormuz or otherwise impede navigation.
Emphasising Iran’s ties with Gulf neighbours, he said Tehran is “not attacking our brothers” and seeks to maintain friendly, good‑neighbourly relations, framing current actions as self‑defence and retaliation against U.S. targets.
Meanwhile, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile northwest of Mina Saqr in the United Arab Emirates, sparking a fire that has since been extinguished, with the ship intending to continue its voyage. Authorities are investigating. It is the third maritime incident UKMTO has reported today, following earlier attacks north of Muscat in Oman, within the Strait of Hormuz, and off Oman’s Kumzar.
Araghchi said Iran is acting in self-defence against ongoing U.S. attacks, focusing its response on American military personnel and regional bases rather than targets inside the United States.
As US forces have evacuated certain installations and moved into civilian areas, he alleged they are effectively using “human shields”, adding that Iran is aiming strictly at military sites and the facilities supporting U.S. operations against Tehran.
-Agencies
