Iran has confirmed that its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, according to a message posted on his official social media account, marking a dramatic development following U.S.-Israeli strikes.
The statement, shared in religious language, read: “In the glorious name of Haidar (Imam Ali), peace be upon him. Without him there is neither heaven nor earth. Without him there is no love like Zaynab.”
The X post appeared to signal acknowledgment from within Iran’s leadership after earlier denials of reports that Khamenei had been killed.
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CATCH UPThe confirmation follows statements by President Donald Trump, who said Khamenei was dead after the strikes.
Earlier, speaking to NBC News, Trump stopped short of confirming the reports, saying he did not want to comment directly but that “the rumor is, and the word is, that he has been killed,” adding that he believed the reports were “a correct story.”
Minutes after the White House ended press access for the day, Trump escalated his remarks in a social media post, writing, “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” and describing the reported killing as “justice” for victims in the United States and around the world.
Iran International television channel has also confirmed that Khamenei is dead.
Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1989, was a central figure in the country’s political and religious system. His death is likely to have significant implications for Iran’s leadership and the broader Middle East.
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