All articles tagged with #khamenei
Fortieth-day mourning for Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei began across multiple cities during a fragile two-week ceasefire with the United States and Israel, but authorities have not disclosed where or how he was buried, prompting speculation and online ridicule over a church-based ceremony held before a grave is confirmed, while broader tensions over governance and security persist in Iran.
Reuters reports that Trump, already leaning toward action, approved a US-Israeli strike after Netanyahu pressed to kill Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei; the operation, Epic Fury, began Feb 28 and killed Khamenei, fueling Iranian counterstrikes and a regional escalation. Officials warned of heavy civilian and military costs, while the CIA reportedly doubted that killing Khamenei would trigger regime change.
Less than 48 hours before a U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, Netanyahu pressed Trump, arguing a window to kill Supreme Leader Khamenei could close soon; Trump approved the operation, which began Feb. 28 with Khamenei killed, triggering Iranian retaliation and regional fallout. Reuters notes Netanyahu didn’t force the decision, though his framing was influential, while the CIA had predicted regime change was unlikely. The conflict has produced casualties and wider disruption in the region.
Reuters reports that Trump approved a strike on Iran after Netanyahu pressed for killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, arguing it offered a rare window to act; intelligence signaled urgency, and the operation began Feb. 28 with Khamenei reportedly killed, triggering Iranian retaliation and shaping ongoing U.S.-Israel coordination. Rubio had previously warned lawmakers that Israel would likely attack Iran, drawing the U.S. into the clash.
In a Nowruz message aired on Iranian TV, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran’s enemies were being defeated as the US and Israel pressed attacks, praising national unity and denying that Iran or its allies were behind attacks on Turkiye and Oman (calling those incidents false flags). He urged closer ties with Afghanistan and Pakistan and offered to help, while President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and proposed a regional security framework to stabilize the region amid ongoing tensions.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the killing of Ali Larijani will not destabilize Iran, stressing a strong, institution-based political system that can replace leaders as needed; he also accuses the United States of starting the US-Israel war and calls for accountability, noting Iran has endured past shocks to its leadership.
The piece argues that if Israel assassinated Ali Larijani—Iran’s long‑time power broker and current secretary of the supreme national security council—it could be a bigger strategic blow to Iran than the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei. Larijani’s cross‑cutting influence in domestic politics, ties to the IRGC, and extensive international diplomacy made him a key stabilizer and wartime strategist; his removal would complicate succession, weaken moderates, and signal a shift in power toward hardliners, with broad implications for US and Gulf diplomacy.
U.S. intelligence circulated to President Trump and aides that Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei doubted his son Mojtaba Khamenei’s fitness to succeed him, citing concerns about his intelligence and personal issues, as Mojtaba was named Iran’s next leader after Ali's death, with the White House viewing Iran as leaderless and the IRGC as now calling the shots.
During a briefing, Pete Hegseth claimed Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded and likely disfigured, portraying Iran's leadership as weak and underground; Trump officials echoed concerns about Khamenei's health, while the administration noted a sharp drop in Iran's missile and drone capabilities and ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions.
Iran's sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said the country may withdraw from the 2026 World Cup due to security concerns for players after U.S.- and Israel-led strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with FIFA regulations governing any withdrawal or replacement.
US officials say an encrypted Iranian message intercepted after the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei contains a possible 'operational trigger' to activate sleeper assets abroad. Authorities detected a new international broadcasting station and warned law enforcement to stay vigilant for potential attacks, though there are no specific public threats yet.
Analysts say the sudden death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could mark a turning point for the Islamic Republic, creating a leadership vacuum and testing the regime as mass protests continue; the IRGC may recalibrate its approach—potentially easing repression or mobilizing nationalist sentiment—to weather the transition and maintain power.
Israel's military warned it will continue pursuing every successor to Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and anyone involved in appointing a successor, as Iran's clerical body prepares to meet to choose the next leader.
With Ayatollah Khamenei dead, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appears close to selecting a new supreme leader, while a fresh wave of drone and missile attacks hits Gulf states. Israel vows to target the successor and anyone involved in selecting him as the region’s war expands, and civilian casualties and infrastructural damage rise amid mixed messages from Tehran. The international community weighs ceasefire options and responses as the conflict broadens and regional leaders respond to the crisis.
Kalshi refused to pay out winnings on a $54 million trade tied to the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, citing a rule that markets cannot settle on death; bettors vented anger as Kalshi reimbursed some losses after clarifications, and the episode fueled a broader debate among lawmakers and rivals about the ethics and legality of death-related bets in prediction markets.