Iranian state media have confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in his office during a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, following earlier reports from US and Israeli officials.
A 40-day mourning period has been declared for the long-time Iranian leader.
Israel confirmed it launched a fresh round of airstrikes on Iran on Sunday, as the country grappled with uncertainty in the wake of Khamenei’s death, which is expected to further destabilize the region.
This confirmation follows initial reports from Iran’s Tasnim and Mehr news agencies, which stated that Khamenei remained “steadfast and firm in commanding the field” before the attacks.
US President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform earlier, writing that the 86-year-old Khamenei was killed in the coordinated strikes, which began early on Saturday.
“He was unable to evade our intelligence and highly sophisticated tracking systems. Working closely with Israel, there was nothing he or the other leaders killed could do,” Trump said.
“This is the greatest opportunity for the Iranian people to reclaim their country,” he added. “Hopefully, the IRGC and police will peacefully join with the Iranian Patriots.”
