Iran has declared 40 days of national mourning following the confirmed killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, marking one of the most dramatic turning points in the Middle East in decades.
Iranian state media announced that Khamenei was killed in joint strikes attributed to the United States and Israel, triggering widespread outrage and vows of retaliation from Tehran. ([AP News][1])
Alongside Khamenei, Iran confirmed the deaths of senior figures including Ali Shamkhani, a top political adviser and secretary of Iran’s Defence Council, and Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the killing as “a great crime” and pledged that Iran would respond.
Protests and Regional Fallout
The killing has sparked protests in neighbouring Iraq. Supporters of Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr expressed grief, and he announced three days of public mourning.
In the Iraqi capital Baghdad, demonstrators confronted security forces near the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses key government institutions and foreign embassies.
Iran Launches Retaliatory Strikes
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it has begun a sixth wave of retaliatory attacks targeting 27 US bases, according to Iranian state media, significantly heightening fears of a wider regional conflict.
Meanwhile, the Qatari Ministry of Interior reported eight additional injuries from Iranian strikes, bringing the total number of injured since the attacks began to 16.
Highly Volatile Situation
Analysts warn the situation remains extremely volatile, with the risk of rapid military escalation across the Middle East. Global powers are closely monitoring developments amid concerns that the confrontation could expand further.
