eilmeldung
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died, according to Iranian state media. The Revolutionary Guard has vowed retaliation. Former U.S. President Trump earlier announced that Khamenei had been killed in attacks by the U.S. And Israel.
Iranian state media confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei early Sunday morning. The state broadcaster and the state-run news agency IRNA reported the death of the 86-year-old, without specifying a cause. News agencies reported he was killed as a “martyr.”
Media reports indicate Khamenei died in the early hours of Saturday, and a 40-day period of national mourning has been declared.
As Iran’s spiritual leader, Khamenei had guided the Islamic Republic for more than three decades, assuming the position in 1989 following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Revolutionary Guard vow retaliation
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vowed revenge for Khamenei’s death. “The murderers of the Imam of the Nation will not escape a harsh, decisive, and deterrent punishment,” read a statement from the elite force, distributed by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Hezbollah is one of the Iranian regime’s closest allies.
The Revolutionary Guard, the Islamic Republic’s armed forces, and the Basij militia will “decisively confront internal and external conspiracies” and “punish the aggressors with a deterrent and exemplary response,” the statement continued. All segments of society are called upon to participate in the defense of the country.
According to consistent media reports, several relatives of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were similarly killed in the Israeli-American airstrikes. The Al-Arabiya website reported, citing the Iranian news agency Fars, that a daughter, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson of Khamenei were among the dead.
Celebrations in Iranian Streets
Spontaneous celebrations reportedly broke out in Tehran following news of Khamenei’s death. Residents of the Iranian capital reported people shouting with joy from their windows. The news was spread by Iranian exile media, which can be received via satellite in Iran, and was accompanied by honking cars in the streets.
Trump Previously Announced Khamenei’s Death
Earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that Khamenei had died. Trump called Khamenei “one of the most vicious people in history” and said this was “the greatest opportunity for the Iranian people to reclaim their country.” He announced that the bombardments in Iran would continue until peace is achieved in the region and around the world.
According to Israeli reports, leading figures in the Iranian military were also killed, including the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Mohammed Pakpur, and Defense Minister Asis Nasirsadeh. Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to the Ayatollah, was also reportedly killed.
