IRAN’S state media on Sunday, March 1, confirmed that the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint military strike by the United States and Israel.

Khamenei, who led the oil-rich Middle East nation since 1989, breathed his last on February 28, after his residence in Tehran was hit.

The operation also reportedly killed several senior Iranian military figures and members of Khamenei’s family, as reports indicated that the strikes were part of a coordinated campaign targeting Iran’s power structure, marking one of the most significant attacks in decades.

The conflict has since spiraled across the Middle East, with Iran attacking US interests in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, and others.

Who was Khamenei?

1. Ali Khamenei was a long-time Iranian cleric and politician who became Supreme Leader of his nation in 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini after the founder of the Islamic Republic died.
2. He also served as President of Iran from 1981 to 1989 before becoming the country’s highest authority.
3. As Supreme Leader, he was considered the ‘Rahbar’ – Iran’s highest state authority with ultimate control over the military, judiciary, security apparatus, and foreign policy.
4. The Supreme Leader was above all elected officials as he oversaw state institutions, appointed key positions like judges, heads of media, commanders, and influenced who could run for office. His decisions outweighed those of the elected President and parliament, despite Iran having elections and other nominal democratic processes.

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5. Under Khamenei’s regime, political dissent was often suppressed as media houses were closed, reformist candidates barred, protesters detained, and political activism was restricted.
6. Major protests erupted in the country under his watch, including 2009 disputed elections protests, economic grievances protest in 2019, and Women, Life, Freedom movement in 2022, and 2025 protests, all of which were met with force by security forces.
7. Under his rule, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a powerful military and political force expanded its influence domestically and across the Middle East.
8. Khamenei’s tenure was marked by deep antagonism toward Western powers, especially the US and Israel, shaping Iran’s foreign policy and proxy support for groups such as Hezbollah (Lebanon), militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthi movement in Yemen.
9. Khamenei endorsed Iran’s nuclear development as a deterrent and national priority, navigating crises like the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) and subsequent US withdrawal in 2018.
10. He expanded Iran’s strategic footprint through allied militias and political groups across the Middle East, making Iran a key and controversial regional power.
11. The country faced economic challenges under Khamenei, partly due to international sanctions and centralised state control, contributed to inflation, unemployment, and public dissatisfaction
12. The last atrocities his regime allegedly committed against Iranians took place in late 2025, following a sweeping protest that broke out over the country’s failing economy, economic mismanagement, snowballing unemployment and pervasive human rights abuses. He was accused of mass-arrest, killings and clamping down on dissenting voices.