Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed in US-Israeli attack on his country.
Iranian state media confirmed in the early hours on Sunday, March 1, 2026, that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at his office in the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, following earlier reports of his killing by President Donald Trump and Israeli officials.
“It is announced to the Iranian people that His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred in the joint attack launched by America and the Zionist regime on the morning of Saturday, February 28.”
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency
Iranian state media said that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were also killed.
Additionally, Iranian state media confirmed the killing of Khamenei’s Security Adviser, Ali Shamkhani, as well as IRGC Commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour, in the ongoing US-Israeli attacks.
US President, Donald Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform earlier in the day that 86-year-old Khamenei was killed in the joint US-Israeli strikes, which began early on Saturday.
“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. Hopefully, the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots.”
Donald Trump
Trump indicated on his Truth Social post that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” of Iran would go on “uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary.”
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier also claimed that there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed.
Netanyahu said in his address that many senior figures had been “eliminated” in the wave of attacks targeting senior leaders, as Trump called for the government to be toppled.
Israel, Netanyahu said, had killed “Commanders in the Revolutionary Guard and senior officials in the nuclear programme and we will continue.”
Khamenei has been Iran’s Supreme leader since 1989, succeeding the founder of the post-shah Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who steered Iran’s 1979 revolution.
The Supreme leader holds ultimate authority over all branches of government, the military and the judiciary, while also acting as the country’s spiritual leader.
Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, announced that the country will set up an interim leadership council today. It comes as a temporary measure before the successor to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is selected.
Article 111 of the Iranian constitution mandates that a temporary council handle duties until a new Supreme leader is elected.
That body is composed of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and a cleric from the Guardian Council, according to Iranian media. The provisional council works until the Assembly of Experts will formally choose a new Supreme leader.
Iran Declares 40-day Mourning Period
A 40-day mourning period for the longtime Iranian leader was announced. State media also announced seven days of public holidays.
Meanwhile, Government Spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi said in remarks carried by a news agency that Iraq’s government announced three days period of public mourning over Khamenei’s killing.
“With great sadness and sorrow, we offer our condolences to the honorable Iranian people and the entire Islamic nation on the martyrdom of the scholar and mujahid, the Supreme Leader, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husseini al-Khamenei, whom we consider to be among the first of the family of the Prophet, as a result of a blatant aggression and a reprehensible act that violates all human and moral norms, and in clear violation of international laws and conventions.”
Bassem Al-Awadi
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