The Latest : Trump says Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is dead

mercurynews.com · Mar 1, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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By The Associated Press Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news announced the 86-year-old’s death early Sunday. President Donald Trump had announced his death hours earlier, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. The announcements came after a joint U.S. and Israeli aerial bombardment that targeted Iranian military and governmental sites. Trump said the “heavy and pinpoint bombing” was to continue through the week or as long as necessary. The strikes opened a stunning new chapter in U.S. intervention in Iran, marking the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the country during talks over its nuclear program. The reported killing of Khamenei after decades in power appeared certain to create a significant leadership vacuum given the absence of a known successor and because the Supreme Leader had final say on all major policies. On Sunday, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its “most-intense offensive operation” ever targeting Israel and U.S. bases. Here’s the latest: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens ‘most-intense offensive operation’ ever Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened Sunday to launch its “most-intense offensive operation” ever after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “The most-intense offensive operation in the history of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin in moments, targeting (Israel) and American terrorist bases,” it said. Mourners raised a black flag over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city and a major pilgrimage site for Shiite Muslims. Global shipping firm tells its vessels in the Persian Gulf to shelter A global shipping firm has instructed its vessels inside the Persian Gulf, and bound to the Persian Gulf, to shelter, citing the rapid military escalation between the U.S., Israel and Iran, and restrictions on traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The company, CMA CGM, said on its website that it has suspended the passage of its vessels through the Suez Canal, a crucial waterway connecting the Red and Mediterranean seas. “Vessels will be rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope,” it said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says ‘regret-inducing punishment’ coming Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned Sunday that a “severe, decisive and regret-inducing punishment” would be coming over Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing. The Guard, which answered only to Khamenei, issued the statement after state media acknowledged the 86-year-old leader’s killing. “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and what it called the vast popular Basij forces will powerfully continue the path of their leader in defending his legacy, standing firm against internal and external plots and delivering what it described as a lesson-giving punishment to aggressors against the Islamic homeland,” it added. Iran’s Cabinet warns that ‘great crime’ will not go unanswered Iran’s Cabinet warned early Sunday that this “great crime will never go unanswered” after a U.S.-Israeli campaign killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The statement came after Iranian state media reported Khamenei, 86, had been killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran. On Iranian state television, an anchor broke in to read the announcement of Khamenei’s death. “To the noble and proud people of Iran: With the ultimate grief and sorrow this is to inform you that following the barbaric attack by the criminal governments of America and the evil Zionist regime, the true example of faith, jihad and resistance, the Supreme Leader of the Revolution Grand Ayatollah Khamenei achieved the blessing of martyrdom,” the anchor said. Daughter, son-in-law of Khamenei killed in US-Israeli attacks in Iran The daughter and son-in-law of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei were killed in the U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran, according to semi-official news agency. Also killed in Saturday’s attacks were a grandchild and a daughter-in-law, Fars News Agency, citing unidentified sources. The agency didn’t provide further details. Iran’s government declared 40 days of public mourning and a seven-day nationwide public holiday to commemorate Khamenei’s death. Iran state TV says Khamenei was at his Tehran compound when attack began Iranian state television described Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as being at his compound in downtown Tehran when the initial attack began. Satellite photos from Airbus showed the site heavily bombed. The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader at his office “showed that he consistently stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities, confronting what officials call global arrogance,” state TV said. Iranian state media announces Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, is dead, Iranian state media reported. State television and the state-run IRNA news agency reported his death, without elaborating on a cause of death. U.S. President Donald Trump had said he’d been killed in a joint American-Israeli operation targeting Iran. Australia’s prime minister says he supports US actions Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he supports U.S. actions to prevent Iran threatening international peace and security. “We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security,” Albanese posted on social media on Saturday. Arab League says Arab-Israeli conflict has expanded into ‘full-scale regional war’ The Arab League said the Israeli-US airstrikes on Iran are “a moment when the Arab-Israeli conflict has expanded into a full-scale regional war.” Maged Abdelaziz, the 22-nation league’s U.N. observer, accused Israel of using the Iran war to evade ending its occupation of Palestinian territories and prevent the establishment of an independent Palestinian state – and to impose its “hegemony on the Middle East by using military means.” Despite the announcement of some progress in U.S.-Iranian talks in Geneva two days ago, he told an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council Saturday that Israel launched “a wanton military attack” claiming it “was intended to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.” “At the same time, Israel itself refuses to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” he said., and it refuses to subject its nuclear facilities to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s nuclear safeguards regime. International Atomic Energy Agency to hold special session on Monday The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency will convene a special session at its headquarters in Vienna on Monday morning following a request from the Russian Federation, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a press release. In a diplomatic note dated Feb. 28 and seen by the Associated Press, Russia’s Permanent Mission to the International Organizations in Vienna requested the convening of the special session “on matters related to military strikes of the United States and Israel against the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran that started in the morning of 28 February 2026, preceded by repeated open threats of such action, including against nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards.” The special session of the Board of Governors will take place before the already scheduled regular session of the Board on Monday, the IAEA said. Iranian, US ambassador have tense back-and-forth in UN Security Council session In a rare and colorful exchange, the representatives of the United States and Iran exchanged warnings and direct rebuffs toward the end of the emergency session on Iran as military aggression between their countries risked spilling into a regional war. After U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz responded to Iranian claims that America had violated international law, Tehran’s diplomat to the U.N. asked to speak again to issue a warning: “I advise to the representative of the United States to be polite. It will be better for yourself and the country you represent.” Waltz responded immediately, saying, “This representative sits here, in this body, representing a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people, and imprisoned many more, simply for wanting freedom from your entire tyranny.” Israel says it acted against an `existential threat’ Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that Iranian chants of “Death to Israel, Death to America” and the burning of both countries’ flags were acts of “state-sanctioned hatred” and preparation for action. “But today, alongside our ally the United States, we acted to stop … an existential threat before it became irreversible,” he said, stressing that Israel didn’t act on impulse or for aggression. “We acted out of necessity,” he said. Danon said “diplomacy was exhausted.” Addressing the Iranian people, he said the operation is directed “at a regime that has silenced you” and Israel stands “with you.” Syria condemns Iranian attacks on Gulf monarchies Syria’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the Iranian attacks that targeted the sovereignty and security” of Gulf monarchies hit by barrages of Iranian missiles. Under Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet the statement made no mention of the Israeli or U.S. strikes that began the day, reflecting the new government’s efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States. Iranian diplomat says hundreds of civilians killed or wounded Amir Saeid Iravani, Iranian ambassador