Following his death, the Iranian government declared a 40-day mourning period and seven days of public holidays. He had held the position of Supreme Leader of the country for the past 37 years.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement expressing its intention to continue the struggle of its leader and to confront internal and external threats, as well as to punish those who infringe upon the sovereignty of the country.
Iranian authorities also promised retaliatory measures for the incident. "This great crime will not go unpunished and will become a new chapter in the history of the Islamic world," they stated.
U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed the information about Khamenei's death. In his message on the social network Truth Social on February 28, he noted that this is justice not only for the Iranian people but for all who have suffered from the actions of Khamenei and his supporters.
On the same day, the U.S. and Israel carried out strikes on Tehran and other targets in Iran. Trump announced his intention to destroy the nuclear program of the Islamic Republic and called for the Iranian army to surrender, urging the people to take their fate into their own hands.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, 201 people were killed and 747 injured during the attacks. There were also reports of 108 schoolgirls dying in Minab, where the IRGC base is located; however, the U.S. and Israel did not comment on this information.
In response, Iran attacked Israeli territories and U.S. military bases in the Middle East, leading to a state of emergency being declared in Israel. The strikes also affected other countries in the region.
The European Union expressed deep concern over the current situation, while the leaders of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom condemned Iran's actions and called for negotiations.
