Iranian state media has confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, is dead at age 86, following a joint military strike by the United States and Israel, state television announced early Sunday.
Iran declared a 40-day period of national mourning and seven public holidays after the confirmation of his death.
Khamenei led Iran since succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, serving as the country’s top political and religious authority for more than three decades.
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The joint US-Israeli operation involved airstrikes on Tehran and other targets as part of a broader military offensive, according to international reports and Iranian sources.
Iran’s leadership blamed the strikes on the United States and Israel, calling Khamenei’s death “martyrdom” in official broadcasts.
The announcement came after US President Donald Trump publicly stated earlier that Khamenei had been killed in the strikes.
The death creates a significant power vacuum in Tehran, with no immediate successor named.
Iran’s political structure now faces a critical transition as bodies such as the Assembly of Experts are expected to convene to select new leadership.
The situation has heightened tensions across the Middle East, with fears of further escalation and regional instability.
This development marks one of the most significant geopolitical shifts in recent Middle East history.
