New Delhi: Iran Sunday confirmed the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following an attack by the US and Israel in the early hours of Saturday. Tehran announced that it is set to begin a period of mourning for 40 days for the leader.
It is unclear whether it was an American or Israeli strike that killed Khamenei.
“Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred following an attack by the Zionist regime and the United States on Saturday morning,” state-owned Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported Sunday.
Khamenei’s official social media account on X posted: “Among the faithful are men who fulfil what they have pledged to Allah: there are some among them who have fulfilled their pledge, and some of them who still wait, and they have not changed in the least (Holy Quran 33:23).”
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Among the faithful are men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah: there are some among them who have fulfilled their pledge, and some of them who still wait, and they have not changed in the least (Holy Quran 33:23). pic.twitter.com/f1JizOKWQD
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 1, 2026
US President Donald Trump had announced the killing of Khamenei hours earlier, and in a post on social media promised to continue carrying out attacks until the objective of “PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND INDEED THE WORLD!” is achieved.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us.”
Khamenei, 86, had shaped Tehran’s era of defiance against the West, taking over power in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the ideological founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Khomeini led the Iranian revolution against the authoritarian rule of the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He then led Iran for seven years as its president during the gruelling war with Iraq before assuming the role of Supreme Leader.
Large crowds have gathered on the streets of Iran to mourn Khamenei, according to reports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had Saturday highlighted that regime change was the goal of the latest attacks by the US and Tel Aviv on Tehran.
Iran’s retaliation Saturday focussed across the region, with the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar all reporting attacks emanating from the Islamic Republic. These countries all house American military bases.
The Straits of Hormuz has been effectively closed, according to Iranian state media. The closure of the straits that channels the flow of almost a fifth of global oil supply is expected to impact international markets.
Trump’s announcement of the death of the 86-year-old leader also led to celebrations on the streets of Tehran, according to reports.
Khamenei faced the biggest threat to his leadership of Iran at the start of this year. Protests that began over the economic crisis facing the West Asian nation eventually spiralled into calls for his removal in some parts of the country. The Iranian government violently repressed the protests, with over a 1,000 people said to have been killed by the authorities.
It now remains to be seen who will take over the reins in Tehran. It is believed that the senior leadership had prepared for this situation for years, given Khamenei’s own advanced age. Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah, has been pushing for his return from exile to lead the country.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Also Read: Trump’s message to Iranians—‘When we’re done, take over your govt & reclaim your nation’
That’s a huge escalation if there was any. I like
how Trump unlike other US presidents don’t pretend that they are doing it for “democracy” and “human rights”. They were very clear that they are making the grounds for regime change and want Iranians to take over.
On a serious note, who is replacing him ? A hardliner from the IRGC ?