Khamenei Killed in Joint Strike, Trump Claims as Iran Confirms Death

From nearly 2,500 kilometers away, US President Donald Trump had posted a message on his Truth Social handle warning of the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Although Iranian authorities initially described the message as “psychological warfare,” subsequent developments appeared to confirm that what was termed a “technological arrow” had indeed struck its target.

The Supreme National Security Council of Iran confirmed the death of Khamenei, stating that he was killed early Saturday morning while “performing his official duties” at his office.

Iran’s state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Sunday morning, 1 March, that “Iran’s Supreme Leader has attained martyrdom.”

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stated in a report: “It is announced to the Iranian people that on the morning of 28 February (Saturday), in a joint attack carried out by America and the Zionist regime, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Grand Ayatollah Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei, was martyred.”

State media further reported that Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and grandson were also killed in the attack.

Earlier, Iran’s Fars News Agency confirmed his death, stating that he died while carrying out his “specified responsibilities.” The report added that his death occurred early Sunday at dawn. The outlet also announced a 40-day period of state mourning.

Prior to the Iranian confirmation, President Trump had formally declared Khamenei’s death in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. In his statement, Trump described Khamenei as one of the “worst individuals” in history and said the development represented justice not only for the Iranian people but for the entire world.

In his post, President Trump wrote, “Khamenei, one of the worst individuals in history, is dead. Today justice has been served for the countless Americans and global citizens who were killed or maimed by Khamenei and his bloodthirsty forces.”

He further stated that Khamenei had been unable to evade US intelligence agencies and advanced tracking systems. According to Trump, the operation—conducted in coordination between the United States and Israel—left Khamenei and other top leaders with no opportunity to escape. He added that the Iranian people now have a chance to reclaim their country.

Trump also claimed that many members of the IRGC, the Iranian army, and police forces no longer wished to continue fighting and were seeking immunity from the United States. He stated, “I said last night—they can have immunity now if they want it, but if they delay, death awaits them.”

The US President confirmed that alongside Khamenei’s death, the Iranian state had been largely destroyed or “erased” within a single day of operations. However, he indicated that the campaign would not stop there. According to Trump, the bombing would continue throughout the week until peace is achieved in the Middle East and across the entire world.

DBTech/SA/MUM/OR