Who was Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, who was killed in the recent US-Israeli strikes

· OpIndia

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei has been killed in the coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which started on February 28, 2026. The death of Khamenei was confirmed by several Iranian media outlets on March 1, 2026.

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However, before the confirmation by the Iranian media, US President Donald Trump posted a lengthy message on Truth Social around 3:07 am on Friday (local time), celebrating Khamenei’s death. Describing Khamenei as the “most evil person in History”, Trump hailed his death as a mark of justice to the people of Iran, the “Great Americans”, and all those who suffered during Khamenei’s rule.

Source: Truth Social

The nearly four-decade-long rule of the 86-year-old Khamenei in Iran has been marred by numerous controversies. However, his decision to continue Iran’s nuclear programme, despite America’s clear warning, has been a major highlight of his political tenure. Since last year, his regime has been facing widespread protests from the Iranian people, who were opposed to his suppressive policies. This hostility at home, clubbed with America’s displeasure over Iran’s nuclear enrichment program and Israel’s long-standing resentment, provided a conducive environment for the present US-Israel coordinated action against the Khamenei regime.

The fresh US-Israeli strikes on Iran followed the brutal crackdown by the Iranian regime on widespread anti-government protests, which began in December last year. The protests had erupted due to the economic instability in the country and spread to all 31 provinces of Iran. Khamenei’s brutal approach towards protestors provided legitimacy to the US intervention in the country.

With Khamenei’s death, the existing economic and political instability in Iran is expected to exacerbate. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is expected to succeed him, as former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was considered his heir-apparent, died in a helicopter crash in 2024.

Who was Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei ?

Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in Mashhad, Iran. He studied Islamic theology and was deeply influenced by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the 1979 Islamic Revolution, while being taught by him in Qom. Khamenei was actively involved in opposing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, who had him arrested six times before sending him into exile for three years.

During the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which uprooted the monarchy, Khamenei became a close ally of Khomeini and eventually succeeded him as the Iranian Supreme Leader in 1989. Before that, he served as the President of Iran from 1981 to 1989 and led the country through the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). An assassination attempt on him in 1981 left his right hand paralysed. During his tenure, Khamenei faced nationwide protests in 2009, 2019 and 2022.

Khamenei strengthened the ‘Axis of Resistance’, Iran’s network of allies in the Middle East. He supported terrorist organisations like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and various other groups in Iraq and Syria. With these allies, Iran was able to create a forward defence against the US and Israel.

Khamenei’s support for Ummah and false accusations against India

Even though Iran adopted a balanced approach towards India under Khamenei’s rule, he repeatedly criticised India for alleged targeting of Muslims in India. In September 2024, he claimed that Muslims in India were enduring suffering. “The enemies of Islam have always tried to make us indifferent with regard to our shared identity as an Islamic Ummah. We cannot consider ourselves to be Muslims if we are oblivious to the suffering that a Muslim is enduring in Myanmar, Gaza, India or any other place,” Khamenei wrote on X on September 16, 2024.

This was not the only time he accused India of allowing the alleged persecution of Muslims. On many earlier occasions, he tried to tarnish India’s global image by making baseless claims of Muslims being “massacred” by “extremist Hindus”. He threatened that India would be isolated from the Islamic world if the Indian government did not stop targeting Indian Muslims. “The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India. The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam,” he wrote on X on March 5, 2020.

Khamenei made remarks about India’s internal matters, like the Kashmir issue, in the name of the Ummah. In August 2019, he accused the Indian government of being unjust towards Indian Muslims. “We’re concerned about Muslims’ situation in Kashmir. We have good relations with India, but we expect the Indian government to adopt a just policy towards the noble people of Kashmir and prevent the oppression & bullying of Muslims in this region,” he posted on X on August 21, 2019.

Shia Muslims in India protest against Khamenei’s killing

Khamenei was not only the Supreme Leader of Iran, but he was also revered by Shia leaders of Shia Muslims across the world. Despite his open criticism of India, Khamenei was a popular figure among the Indian Shia Muslims. As a result, the impact of Khamenei’s death is also being felt in India, as large numbers of Shia Muslims staged protests against his killing across various states in the country. Shia Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir organised protests at Lal Chowk, condemning his killing.

Several Shia women came out on the streets crying and mourning Khamenei’s death. The protesters described him as “a lion” and said many more like Khamenei will be born.

Similar protests have erupted in different parts of the country, including Ladakh, Uttar Pradesh, and J&K.

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