Iran announces 40-day mourning period after death of Supreme Leader Khamenei
Tehran, March 1
Iran's state media confirmed Sunday that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli attacks. The Iranian government announced a 40-day mourning period after the report of the leader's death.
Iranian state media confirmed on Sunday that Khamenei was killed in US-Israel airstrikes.
Four relatives of Khamenei, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were also killed in the US-Israeli strikes, reported Iran's Fars News Agency, citing sources.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump announced that the Iranian Supreme Leader was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes, calling it the "single greatest chance" for Iranians to reclaim control of their country.
"Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead," Trump said in a statement. He called it "Justice for the people of Iran" and for "all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS."
Trump said Khamenei "was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do."
Meanwhile, Trump said the massive military campaign against Iran will continue.
"The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!" Trump said in the post.
Trump repeated his earlier call for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, armed forces and police to lay down their weapons in exchange for immunity.
In an interview with NBC News earlier on Saturday, Trump said that "most" of Iran's senior leadership is "gone," saying: "The people that make all the decisions, most of them are gone."
Israeli media on Saturday also reported that Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli attacks and his body has been found.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The loss of civilian family members is always tragic, no matter who the leader is. A 40-day mourning period is a significant cultural and religious observance in Islam. The language used by Trump is extremely inflammatory and will only fuel more hatred.
India's priority should be clear: stability in the region. Chabahar Port is crucial for our connectivity to Central Asia. We need diplomatic channels open with all sides. Hope MEA is working overtime on this.
Watching from abroad, this feels like a point of no return. The rhetoric of "peace through bombing" is a contradiction. The immediate concern is for regional stability and the risk of a wider war that would affect global trade, including India's.
With all due respect to the strategic implications, we must also think of the ordinary Iranian people. They are the ones who will suffer the most from the fallout—economic collapse, potential civil war. Our foreign policy should have a human element too.
Trump's statement reads like a victory lap. This isn't just about Iran; it's a message to every nation that opposes the US. India needs to be strong and self-reliant more than ever. Jai Hind.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.