TEHRAN, March 1 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian security official said on Sunday the country will form an interim council later in the day to assume the leadership responsibilities until the selection of a new leader.

This photo taken on Feb. 28, 2026 shows thick smoke rising in downtown Tehran, Iran. (Photo: Xinhua)

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV hours after the country confirmed the death of its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in strikes launched by the United States and Israel on Saturday in Tehran.

Larijani said that according to Article 111 of Iran's Constitution, if the country lacks leadership, its president, judiciary chief and a jurist from the Constitutional Council will temporarily assume the leader's responsibilities.

He added that the council will be set up as soon as possible.

The security council chief said that the entire nation has become mournful and angry, and will respond to the Israeli and U.S. actions.

Larijani warned that Israel seeks to divide Iran to dominate the entire West Asia region, adding that the United States has fallen into Israel's trap.

He stressed that it appears as if despite the "America First" slogan of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel is the top U.S. priority, adding that Israel has dominated the United States.

On Saturday morning, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, including Tabriz, Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the region.

Several Iranian senior officials, including Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Abdolrahim Mousavi, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Secretary of the Defense Council Ali Shamkhani, and Mohammad Pakpour, chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were also killed in the strike.