Tehran: Iran has officially confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, marking a dramatic escalation in regional tensions. State television announced that the country’s highest authority was killed in the early hours of Saturday and declared a 40-day national mourning period.
Iranian media reported that Khamenei’s body was recovered from the debris of his residential compound in Tehran after it was targeted during the coordinated assault. The strikes, which began before dawn, reportedly hit multiple high-value sites linked to Iran’s political and military leadership.
According to reports circulating in Israeli media, a photograph purportedly showing Khamenei’s body was presented to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, there has been no independent verification of these claims.
In a strongly worded statement, Iran’s National Security Council described the killing as a turning point and vowed that it would ignite what it called a “great uprising” against those responsible. Officials signaled that the country’s response would be decisive, though specific measures were not immediately outlined.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that several members of Khamenei’s family were also killed in the attack, including close relatives. Additionally, Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Pakpour were said to be among those who lost their lives, though further details are awaited.
The confirmation of Khamenei’s death represents one of the most significant developments in Iran’s modern political history. As crowds gathered in parts of Tehran following the announcement, heightened security was reported across the capital.
With the region already on edge after days of missile exchanges, the latest development is expected to intensify geopolitical uncertainty and could have far-reaching consequences for West Asia and beyond.
