Following claims by Trump and Israel, Iran’s military (IRGC), the official news agency IRNA, and the leading news channel 'Press TV' have officially confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At the time of the attack on Saturday, Khamenei was reportedly in his office.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) expressed grief over Imam Khamenei's martyrdom while paying tribute to him. The organization characterized his death as an 'honored martyrdom' and asserted that his path would continue. The statement blamed the United States and the 'Zionist regime,' warning of stern action and calling for national unity and resilience among the public.
Earlier, Press TV reported, 'The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed in joint airstrikes by the United States and Israel.' Following Khamenei’s death, Iran has announced a week of national holiday and 40 days of public mourning.
Who Was Khamenei
During the tenure of 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran advanced its nuclear program, escalating confrontations with the United States and Israel. He strengthened the Revolutionary Guard and regional proxy networks. Despite this, economic strife and repression led to significant protests within the country. Several movements, including the 2022 Mahsa Amini movement, were met with a strong hand. After Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's death in 1989, Khamenei took the helm, steering the Islamic Republic in a new direction. He amplified the power of Shia clerics and the Revolutionary Guard, which became a highly influential military and economic body.
Under his rule, Iran's nuclear endeavors progressed, heightening tensions with the United States and Israel. Despite the 2015 nuclear agreement, tensions intensified after the U.S. withdrawal, with Iran continuing uranium enrichment. Regionally, Khamenei supported groups like Hezbollah and Hamas through the 'Axis of Resistance.' However, after 2023, conflicts grew in the Middle East, and many of Iran's allies weakened.
His death raises questions about the future of the Islamic Republic. The 88-member Assembly of Experts will choose a new Supreme Leader, but no clear successor has emerged yet. The role of the Revolutionary Guard is expected to be crucial in determining the new direction.
Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to announce that one of "history’s most brutal individuals" was no more. He described this as a significant opportunity for freedom for the people of Iran.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that Khamenei’s entire establishment had been destroyed. Israeli intelligence sources claim it was a "surgical strike" executed with cutting-edge weaponry and precise intelligence.
After Press TV’s confirmation, a significant crisis over succession has emerged in Iran. A sense of fear and silence prevails on the streets of Tehran, with security forces on high alert. Iran's foreign ministry and military commanders have vowed revenge for this "cowardly attack," intensifying fears of nuclear war or a potential third world war globally.
