Iran Confirms Death of Khamenei in US-Israel Strikes

Reuters & News Desk

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been martyred in airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel, Iranian state media reported on Sunday.

The announcement was made by the Tasnim News Agency and Fars News Agency, confirming the death of the country’s highest authority.

Following the announcement, Iran declared 40 days of public mourning and seven days of public holidays, according to Fars agency reports. No further details have been provided about the circumstances surrounding Khamenei’s killing.

In addition to the supreme leader, Iranian state media reported that his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law, and son-in-law were also killed in the strikes. The news has sent shockwaves across Iran and is expected to have major implications for the country’s political and security landscape.

This marks an unprecedented event in Iran’s modern history, as Khamenei has been the nation’s supreme leader since 1989, overseeing the country’s political, military, and religious institutions for more than three decades.

earlier, he has survived many crises in Iran, including the 1999 student protests, the 2009 post-election demonstrations, the 2019 nationwide protests, and the 2022–2023 “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement after Mahsa Amini’s death in custody.

Khamenei has maintained a hardline approach during all these events, showing strong control over the country.

A key part of his power comes from the loyalty of Iran’s security forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij paramilitary units, which have hundreds of thousands of volunteers.

Khamenei also played an important role internationally.