Tehran, March 1: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed in joint military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, according to confirmations from Iranian state media.
Khamenei, 86, who had led Iran since 1989, reportedly died following targeted attacks conducted late Saturday. Iranian authorities described him as a “martyr” and announced a 40-day national mourning period across the country.
Born in Mashhad in April 1939, Khamenei rose to prominence after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He became President of Iran in 1981 following the assassination of Mohammad-Ali Rajai and served two terms. After the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, the Assembly of Experts selected him as the Islamic Republic’s second Supreme Leader.
The strikes mark a dramatic escalation in regional tensions and are expected to have far-reaching geopolitical consequences. Global leaders are closely monitoring developments in Tehran, particularly the succession process for the powerful post of Supreme Leader and the possibility of retaliatory action.
