Iranian state television on Sunday announced the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking the end of an era that began in 1989.
A news presenter made the announcement at about 5:00 a.m. local time (0130 GMT), as the station aired archival footage of the late leader with a black mourning banner displayed on screen.
The broadcast confirmed his death but made no reference to reports of a large-scale United States and Israeli airstrike on his residence.
Khamenei, who was 86 years old, had served as Iran’s supreme leader for nearly four decades, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini following the latter’s death.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Khamenei had been killed in coordinated airstrikes.
However, until the state television announcement, there had been no official confirmation from authorities in Tehran.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Khamenei as “one of the most evil people in History” and said his death represented justice for victims allegedly harmed under his leadership.
The US president further stated that Khamenei had been unable to evade American intelligence and tracking systems.
He also suggested that elements within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), military, and security agencies were unwilling to continue fighting and were seeking immunity.
Trump added that the development presented what he described as an opportunity for Iranians to “take back their country,” while warning that US military operations would persist as part of efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.
The confirmation of Khamenei’s death is expected to have far-reaching political and security implications within Iran and across the region, as attention turns to the process of leadership transition in the Islamic Republic.
