Iran confirms Khamenei's death after US-Israel strikes
Iranian state television confirmed on Sunday 1 March 2026 that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, aged 86, was killed following US–Israel strikes that began early on Saturday 28 February. It is the biggest shift in Iran’s political order since 1989. We’ll walk you through what’s confirmed, what is still unclear, and how Iran chooses a new supreme leader.
Across Saturday, information arrived in bursts. Blasts hit Tehran at dawn; commercial satellite images published by media showed heavy damage to the Supreme Leader’s compound. Iranian officials first said he had been moved to a safe location and briefed that a televised address was coming, but it never aired. By evening, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “many signs” Khamenei was no longer alive. US President Donald Trump posted that Khamenei had been killed. Several hours later, state TV confirmed his death and announced a 40‑day mourning period, as reported by the BBC, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
To understand the shock, remember what the job is. The Supreme Leader has the final say on war and peace, foreign policy, the economy and the courts. Khamenei had ruled since 1989, sceptical of the West and hostile to Israel, while elevating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He crushed calls for reform; human rights groups say the recent security crackdown killed thousands. The public mood is mixed: the BBC has verified videos of small groups celebrating in Tehran and Karaj, even as his supporters-especially in the IRGC-grieve and regroup.
Who runs the country now? Iran’s constitution outlines a temporary leadership council formed by the president, the head of the judiciary and a senior cleric from the Guardian Council when the Leader dies or is incapacitated. The permanent choice is made by the Assembly of Experts, roughly 88 senior clerics elected to select-and, on paper, supervise-the Supreme Leader. The New York Times has previously reported that Khamenei identified three senior clerics as potential successors, and long‑running speculation includes his son, Mojtaba. The IRGC’s influence means any successor will need security backing as well as clerical credentials.
This moment did not catch Tehran entirely off guard. During a 12‑day war in June 2025, when Israeli strikes reportedly killed senior scientists and commanders in the first nights, officials intensified continuity planning. Reporting at the time suggested Khamenei operated from a hardened bunker and pressed the Assembly of Experts to be ready for every eventuality, with lists of trusted security officials to plug gaps immediately to avoid any power vacuum.
The fighting has not stopped. Iran’s Red Crescent, carried by state media and reported by the Guardian, put nationwide deaths after the first waves at more than 200, with hundreds injured; figures remain fluid. The IRGC says it has launched missiles and drones at Israeli targets and US bases in the Gulf. US Central Command has said most incoming fire was intercepted and reported minimal damage. Several regional airspaces were closed, snarling flights and adding to anxiety far beyond Iran’s borders.
As readers and students, it helps to separate what we know from what we don’t. Confirmed: state TV says Khamenei is dead and a mourning period has begun. Unsettled: the full list of officials killed, who is coordinating day‑to‑day decisions in Tehran, and the timetable for the Assembly of Experts to convene. In breaking news, treat anonymous briefings with caution and look for named, on‑the‑record statements.
What to watch next are signals more than soundbites. If the temporary leadership council appears together on television, the state is trying to project control. If the Assembly of Experts announces an extraordinary sitting, succession has moved from private talks to formal process. If the IRGC shifts its messaging from retaliation to stability, it may point to a consensus figure-often a senior cleric acceptable to the security establishment.
Inside Iran, politics will feel both familiar and different. Institutions such as the courts, the Guardian Council and the IRGC remain-and their overriding aim is the survival of the system built since 1979. But removing a single centre of authority after nearly 37 years invites new rivalries. Some Iranians will sense a chance for change; others fear a tighter grip. Both reactions can be true at once.
For classrooms and curious readers, this is a media‑literacy test as well as a world‑affairs story. Check whether videos are geolocated; beware recycled clips; compare casualty figures across multiple outlets before sharing. Prioritise organisations that publish corrections in public, such as the BBC and the Associated Press. A regional war already in motion is still unfolding-and the decision over who leads Iran next may be settled as much in closed rooms as on the streets.