Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Killed in Israeli Air Force Attack

Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency confirmed on Sunday the death of the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli air force attack on Saturday. The announcement came after US President Donald Trump said in a social media message that Khamenei, "one of the most evil people in history," had been killed. Khamenei , who was appointed supreme leader in 1989 after the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic's founder, ruled the country with an iron fist, leaving no room for dissent or political freedom. The news of Khamenei's death was received with joy and grief in different quarters of Iran , with those opposed to the hardline regime seen celebrating on the streets, while others mourned the demise of their leader. DW spoke to some Iranians, who had mixed views on the leader's death and the future of their country. A sense of relief "Last night, scores of people in my neighborhood in western Tehran came out to the streets to celebrate [Khamenei's death]," said Sara (name changed), a woman in her thirties. "People were honking their cars continuously. I am truly happy. I never thought I would see this day," she told DW. "But today (Sunday), after state media confirmed Khamenei's death, many of the regime's supporters gathered in central Tehran and held mourning ceremonies," she added. Iranians cheer, mourn Khamenei's death To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 02:19 Parsa (name changed), an Iranian man who lives outside of Iran, told DW he had been "experiencing new emotions since last night." "I feel that my shoulders have been relieved of a heavy burden that I had carried my entire life. I hope the dignity and joy return to my country," he said. Following the supreme leader's death, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late pro-Western shah who was deposed in the 1979 Islamic revolution, said any successor from within the regime would be illegitimate. "With his (Khamenei's) death, the Islamic Republic has effectively come to an end and will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history," Pahlavi, one of the potential candidates in a possible transition period, said in a message to Iranian citizens from the US, where he lives. Regime supporters seek revenge Khamenei's supporters have reacted to their leader's killing with sorrow and anger. "We are grieving, but just like when Imam (Ruhollah) Khomeini passed away, the Revolution endured, the system endured… God willing, we will take revenge," an Iranian man told Iran's Mehr news agency. Iranian authorities have announced a 40-day period of mourning to pay their respects to Khamenei. This comes amid continued Iranian and US-Israeli attacks. On Sunday, Israel said it launched a series of "extensive" strikes in the "'heart of Tehran." The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Iran's chief of army staff and defense minister had also been killed in the airstrikes. 'Take your destiny': Trump addresses Iranians amid strikes To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 02:40 Iran has vowed to retaliate with fiercer attacks on Israel and US bases in the region following Khamenei's killing. "Tell the world to be afraid of a nation that has nothing left to lose," said a regime supporter in Tehran, according to news agencies. "You would have to walk over each and every one of our bodies." Another Khamenei supporter vowed to "avenge the blood of our leader." 'A small window of hope' Samaneh Savadi, a London-based human rights and gender equality advocate, told DW that while Khamenei's death is welcomed by many Iranians, what lies ahead remains uncertain. "For decades, Iranians have lived under a system where even criticizing the supreme leader was criminalized, as he is widely seen as having the blood of countless Iranians and people across the region on his hands due to policies and actions associated with repression, violence, and grave human rights abuses," Savadi said. "Many people I know express relief that he (Khamenei) is no longer alive… at the same time, his death is not viewed as justice," she underlined, adding that many Iranians wanted to see him held accountable through a fair trial. "For some, his passing feels like an outcome far too easy compared to the profound pain and loss attributed to his rule. What lies ahead for Iran remains uncertain, but for many, his absence carries symbolic significance and opens a small window of hope that meaningful change may still be possible." Who are Iran's Revolutionary Guards? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 01:32 Edited by Ole Tangen Jr