The digital transformation of education necessitates a redefinition of leadership roles, structures, and strategies within schools. This study aimed to identify and analyze the key future-oriented components of digital instructional leadership in upper secondary schools. Employing a mixed-method design, the research utilized a three-round Fuzzy Delphi Technique (FDT). The expert panel consisted of 20 academic specialists, school principals, and experts in educational technology from the western counties of Mazandaran Province, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with linguistic fuzzy scales and analyzed through fuzzy averaging and agreement level computation. The findings revealed that the most critical components of future digital instructional leadership include digital literacy of school leaders, data-driven decision-making, development of technological infrastructure, support for innovation, human resource empowerment, digital stakeholder communication, professional ethics in digital environments, and fostering a digital culture. The results demonstrated a high level of convergence and increased expert consensus across Delphi rounds. Comparative analysis with previous studies highlighted the urgent need to revise educational policies and design professional development programs for training future-oriented digital leaders. This study provides strategic insights for policymakers aiming to lead Iran’s schools towards a digitally transformed educational future.