Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed and his body recovered following recent joint strikes by Israel and United States forces, senior Israeli officials told Reuters on Saturday.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were “many signs” that the 86-year-old leader was no longer alive, but stopped short of a definitive announcement. Tehran has not yet acknowledged the reports and its official state media have offered conflicting information about the fate of Khamenei and other senior officials.
The reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, a dominant figure in Iranian politics since 1989, would mark an extraordinary escalation in the widening conflict between Iran and Israel — one that could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and global diplomacy.
Who was Khamenei?
Ali Hosseini Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, into a clerical family. He studied Islamic theology in Mashhad and later in Qom, where he was influenced by revolutionary cleric Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Khamenei played an active role in the revolutionary movement against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and was arrested multiple times before the monarchy’s collapse.
After the revolution, he rose steadily through the ranks of the newly formed Islamic Republic.
In 1981, during the Iran-Iraq War led by Saddam Hussein, Khamenei was elected President of Iran. That same year, he survived an assassination attempt that left his right arm partially paralysed. He served as president until 1989.
Following Khomeini’s death in 1989, Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed Khamenei as Supreme Leader, despite debates over his clerical rank. Over time, he consolidated authority and became the ultimate decision-maker in Iran’s political system under the doctrine of , or guardianship of the Islamic jurist.
As Supreme Leader, Khamenei commanded the armed forces, appointed the heads of the judiciary and state broadcasting, and exercised decisive influence over foreign policy and national security. While Iran conducts presidential and parliamentary elections, candidates are vetted by institutions aligned with the Supreme Leader.
Domestically, his tenure saw both reformist and conservative governments, including those led by Mohammad Khatami, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Hassan Rouhani. However, ultimate authority remained with Khamenei.
He backed the 2009 election results that returned Ahmadinejad to power, triggering mass protests known as the Green Movement. Security forces cracked down on demonstrations, reinforcing the centralised authority of the Supreme Leader’s office.
On foreign policy, Khamenei presided over an assertive regional strategy. Iran expanded its influence in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, including support for the government of Bashar al-Assad during the Syrian civil war. Relations with Israel remained openly hostile throughout his tenure.
The Iranian nuclear programme was a defining issue of his leadership. In 2015, Iran reached a nuclear deal with world powers, including the United States, under President Rouhani. However, US President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, reimposing sanctions and deepening tensions.
Under heavy sanctions, Khamenei promoted a “resistance economy” model aimed at reducing reliance on Western markets. Economic hardship, inflation, and public protests marked later years of his rule, including nationwide unrest in 2009, 2019, and 2022.
Khamenei’s leadership style was often described as cautious but firm, relying heavily on institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and clerical oversight bodies to maintain control. Supporters portrayed him as a defender of Iran’s sovereignty against foreign pressure, while critics argued that political freedoms narrowed significantly under his watch..
