On 28th February, Iran’s 86-year-old supreme leader for 36 years, Ali Khamenei, was killed in coordinated air strikes by Israel and the United States. The strikes destroyed Khamenei’s central Tehran compound. His death has been confirmed by Iranian state media. Earlier, Israeli media had claimed that videos of his dead body were shown to Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. His death marks the end of an era defined by confrontation with Washington, hostility towards Israel and an iron grip over domestic politics. Iran has announced 40-day mourning over his death.
Khamenei assumed office in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini. Initially, he was seen as someone who lacked the senior clerical stature for the role. However, over time, he consolidated sweeping authority, commanding the armed forces, appointing senior judicial and security officials, and shaping Iran’s nuclear and foreign policy.
Relentless hostility towards Washington
Throughout his tenure, Khamenei described the United States as the “Great Satan”. He consistently resisted pressure to curb Iran’s uranium enrichment. Though he cautiously supported the 2015 nuclear deal under President Hassan Rouhani, his distrust deepened after Washington withdrew in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. Renewed pressure during Donald Trump’s second term further hardened his stance.
For years, Iran witnessed repeated unrest. From the 2009 election protests to the 2022 demonstrations following Mahsa Amini’s custodial death, Iran witnessed significant resistance from the general public. Each wave was met with force, including executions and public displays intended to deter dissent.
Regional ambitions and final confrontation
During his tenure, Khamenei’s choice to provide support to terrorist outfits like Hezbollah and Hamas attracted scrutiny. Furthermore, he also supported Syrian President Bashar al Assad and Yemen’s Houthis under the so-called Axis of Resistance. Conflicts with Israel escalated and turned direct in 2024 and 2025, which finally led to his killing in 2026.
His death has left Iran in a severely uncertain position amid external military pressure and growing domestic discontent, specifically among younger citizens who have been questioning decades of ideological confrontation.
