Tehran/Washington, March 1: Iranian state media on Sunday confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes, prompting the government to announce a 40-day national mourning period.
According to Fars News Agency, four of Khamenei’s relatives — including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law — were also killed in the strikes. Israeli media similarly reported that his body had been recovered following the attacks.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the development in a post on Truth Social, describing it as a decisive moment for Iran and calling it the “single greatest chance” for Iranians to reclaim control of their country. Trump said the military campaign would continue, adding that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would remain uninterrupted as long as necessary to achieve what he termed “peace throughout the Middle East.”
Trump also reiterated calls for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), armed forces and police to lay down their weapons in exchange for immunity. In an interview with NBC News, he stated that “most” of Iran’s senior leadership was “gone.”
The reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader marks a pivotal shift in the region’s geopolitical landscape, with significant implications for Iran’s internal power structure, regional stability and global energy markets.
