Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Iranian state media confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday, March 1, 2026. A television presenter reportedly broke down in tears while delivering the news.
Iran will observe 40 days of mourning following Khamenei’s death, according to reports from Iranian state media. Khamenei is being described as a martyr following an attack by Israel and the United States on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli officials had previously announced Khamenei’s death following what they described as a brutal attack.
The death of Khamenei represents a significant blow to the Islamic Republic, which he has led since 1989, a decade after rising to power during the Iranian revolution that overthrew the monarchy and reshaped the Middle East. This event is likely to have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and international diplomacy.
Iranian state media also confirmed that several members of Khamenei’s family were killed in the attack, including a daughter, granddaughter, daughter-in-law and son-in-law.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded to the news of Khamenei’s death, stating, “we have lost a great leader and we mourn his passing,” according to a statement carried by the Fars news agency.
The statement further added that “the martyrdom of Khamenei at the hands of the most vile terrorists and executioners of humanity is a sign of the legitimacy of this great leader and acceptance of his sincere devotion.”
The IRGC vowed retribution, stating, “the hand of revenge of the Iranian nation…will not let them escape.”
The IRGC also pledged to stand “firmly against domestic and foreign conspiracies.”
