Iranian regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei Killed in strikes

2026-03-01 - 10:13

The Iranian regime’s Supreme National Security Council and state television networks simultaneously confirmed on Saturday that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed. Reading from an official statement, state media announced that Khamenei was killed during the massive military campaign. Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published a statement confirming that Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli attack on the morning of Saturday, February 28. In Washington, US President Donald Trump issued a detailed statement confirming the assassination, attributing the successful strike to “highly sophisticated tracking systems.” Trump framed the targeted killing as justice for Americans, the international community, and the Iranian people who have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and “his gang of bloodthirsty thugs.” "Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei..." – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/oXZTFGg5pS — The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 28, 2026 The US President also issued a direct ultimatum to the regime’s armed forces. He stated that IRGC, military, and police personnel seeking immunity must stop fighting, lay down their arms, and “peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots.” He warned that those who refuse will face death, emphasizing that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” will continue uninterrupted until the US achieves its strategic objectives in the region. Khamenei’s death marks the culmination of a massive air and sea military operation launched by the United States and Israel early Saturday morning. As reported throughout the day, the joint strikes utilized a decapitation strategy, explicitly targeting high-level leadership gatherings, IRGC command centers, nuclear infrastructure, and ballistic missile facilities across more than 20 Iranian provinces. The Iranian Resistance’s response: A call for a democratic republic Following the confirmation of Khamenei’s death, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), released a statement describing the event as the definitive “death of religious tyranny and the end of the regime of Velayat-e Faqih [absolute clerical rule].” Mrs. Rajavi outlined a clear political roadmap, announcing the formation of a provisional government based on the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan—a precedent she noted dates back to October 1981. She reiterated that the Iranian people, through their ongoing uprisings, have demonstrated they “seek a future founded on a democratic republic and reject both the tyrannical mullahs and the dictatorial Shah.” Addressing the international community, Mrs. Rajavi stressed that the Iranian people alone hold the legitimacy to determine their political future. She explicitly rejected the need for foreign military intervention on Iranian soil, stating that Iranians “write their destiny with the blood of their valiant sons and daughters.” https://t.co/6yMudywtdF — Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) March 1, 2026 Mrs. Rajavi called upon the patriotic personnel of the national army to stand with the people, while demanding that the IRGC and other regime security forces lay down their weapons and surrender. According to the NCRI’s established resolutions, the provisional government is obligated to hold free and fair elections within six months to form a National Legislative and Constituent Assembly. This body will be responsible for drafting a new constitution and determining the new republican system. Rajavi concluded her statement by emphasizing that the NCRI is not seeking to seize power, but rather to facilitate “the transfer of power to the sovereignty of the Iranian people.” Widespread celebrations inside Iran Immediately following the news of the Supreme Leader’s death, scenes of widespread jubilation erupted in cities across Iran, standing in stark contrast to the mourning broadcast on state television. In the central city of Isfahan, verified footage showed crowds of people taking to the streets, cheering, and honking their car horns in celebration. As night fell, videos captured residents gathering around bonfires while fireworks illuminated the sky above the city. Celebrations in Fooladshahr, Isfahan the city of Mahsa Moghui following the death of #Khamenei. https://t.co/8euPKHxXWA — Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) March 1, 2026 The celebrations held particular weight for the victims of the regime’s past crackdowns. Several families of protesters who were previously killed by regime security forces were documented celebrating the news openly in the streets and within their homes. Similar scenes of public celebration and fireworks were also reported in Karaj, Fuladshahr, and several other cities across the country, indicating a profound and widespread public rejection of the ruling establishment.