Iranian state media has confirmed the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a coordinated US-Israeli assault and has vowed swift and uncompromising retaliation.
The strike also claimed the lives of his top advisor Ali Shamkhani and Major General Mohammad Pakpour, while reports indicate that Khamenei’s daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law had already been killed in previous attacks.
In response, Iran has declared seven days of public holidays and a 40-day period of national mourning nationwide. The Iranian armed forces have promised to strike back with full force, warning that the aggressors will face severe and irreversible consequences.
The General Staff confirmed that the military will remain steadfast on the path of the Supreme Leader and ensure that all perpetrators are punished without mercy.
President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the assassination as “a grave and unforgivable crime” and warned that it will not go unanswered. He declared,
"This heinous crime will ignite a new chapter in Islamic history and the world. The blood of our Supreme Leader will flow like a roaring storm, and American-Zionist oppression will be utterly crushed. Every architect of this atrocity will regret their actions under the full force of our vengeance."
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also issued a stark warning: “The killers of our Supreme Leader will face harsh, decisive, and catastrophic punishment. We will defend Iran’s sovereignty and security at any cost. The price of this aggression will be unforgiving and severe, and we will ensure that no enemy walks free.”
Iranian officials emphasized that the opportunity for revenge will not be missed, and that further devastating operations against the perpetrators will continue until justice is fully served.
