Kathmandu — Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the central figure of Iran’s religious rule for nearly four decades, reportedly prepared succession plans prior to the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed him at the age of 86.
Khamenei, who became Supreme Leader in 1989, held ultimate authority over all major state decisions. Supporters regarded him as both the representative of God and commander-in-chief. Succeeding founder Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei maintained strict control, suppressing dissent while positioning himself as the guardian of the Islamic Revolution and protector of the republic’s continuity.
Iranian authorities confirmed that Khamenei was killed in the airstrikes on Saturday night. U.S. President Donald Trump also announced his death. The Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that an interim leadership comprising the president, head of the judiciary, and a Guardian Council member would manage the country temporarily.
During the 12-day conflict with Israel last June, Khamenei reportedly identified three potential successors in accordance with Iran’s constitution, which requires the Supreme Leader to be a senior Shia cleric appointed by the Assembly of Experts. His preferred candidates included Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, close aide Ali Asghar Hejazi, and Khomeini’s grandson Hassan Khomeini. Israeli forces confirmed that Hejazi was killed in the strike.
Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, was also considered influential, though the Supreme Leader had expressed a desire that leadership not become hereditary. Following news of his death, some opposition groups in Tehran celebrated and set off fireworks.
Before the attack, Khamenei had delegated operational authority to National Security Council chief Ali Larijani, who warned on social media that Iran would teach “unforgettable lessons” to “Jewish criminals and arrogant Americans.” Key political and military aides, including Hejazi, Parliament Speaker and former Guard Commander Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and top military adviser Yahya Rahim Safavi, had been authorized to make decisions in his absence.
As of Sunday morning, it remains unclear who is exercising control over Iran, leaving the country’s leadership in a state of uncertainty amid escalating regional tensions.
