The assassination of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, on 28 February 2026, during joint United States–Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, prompted official mourning in Iran, condemnations and calls for restraint from foreign governments and international organizations, and demonstrations among Shia communities abroad.
Iranian state-affiliated media described his assassination as a martyrdom, while Iranian security and military institutions publicly vowed retaliation. Outside Iran, reactions included official statements, rallies and vigils, and, in some cases, violence at protests, particularly in Pakistan and Iraq. Some Iranian diaspora communities and anti-Islamic Republic activists also celebrated his death.
The assassination occurred during a broader regional conflict. In the following days, Iran launched retaliatory strikes across several Gulf states hosting U.S. assets, attacks were reported on critical infrastructure, governments carried out emergency measures including evacuations, and oil prices rose above $100 per barrel amid disruptions to production and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
During the subsequent power transition, Iran's Assembly of Experts selected Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the next supreme leader. The decision prompted official calls for unity in Iran and drew international commentary and criticism.
Background Khamenei had served as Iran's supreme leader since 1989. On 28 February 2026, during the first day of a major United States–Israeli strikes against Iran, he was killed in his compound. Iranian state broadcasting later confirmed his death in the early hours of 1 March 2026, and the Iranian cabinet announced an extended period of national mourning and public holidays.
Domestic Iranian state media announced 40 days of mourning and a series of public holidays following confirmation of Khamenei's death. They described the killing as martyrdom and stated that Khamenei's political and religious path would continue after his death. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian described the killing as a "great crime" and said that it would not go unanswered.
Public mourning gatherings were reported in Tehran and elsewhere. Supporters of Khamenei mourned his death near the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad; videos show several people crying and wailing as others appear collapsed on the floor in grief. On 1 March, crowds assembled in Enghelab Square, where participants were described as wearing black, waving Iranian flags, and carrying portraits of Khamenei. Videos were reported showing thousands of people in Yasuj and Isfahan mourning his death, with similar scenes being reported in Shiraz and the province of Lorestan. During the public mourning gatherings, a red Shia flag of revenge was raised at the Jamkaran Mosque in Qom after the assassination, which is a signal of retaliation in the context of Shia symbolism and state-aligned rhetoric. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps publicly pledged retaliation and blamed the United States and Israel for what it described as Khamenei's murder.
Reactions within Iranian society were not uniform. Some accounts described celebrations by certain Iranians inside and outside the country alongside official mourning and pro-government gatherings. Following the initial announcements of Khamenei's death, celebrations were heard in the capital, and videos of celebrations in cities like Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Qazvin, Sanandaj, Shiraz, and Izeh circulated online. In Dehloran, people were filmed cheering as a statue of Khamenei was toppled. Security forces were also deployed to prevent an uprising, with footage showing them opening fire on celebrants in the streets. Exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, eldest son of the last shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and noted dissident against the Islamic Republic regime, unilaterally declared the "end of the Islamic Republic" shortly following Khamenei's death. Pahlavi later said Khamenei's death is not "the end" and called on Iranians to overthrow the Islamic Republic by preparing for "widespread and decisive presence in the streets." Maryam Rajavi, co-leader of the dissident group MEK, released a statement on her website hailing the death of Khamenei as the "end of religious tyranny" and the "collapse of the Velayat-e Faqih regime", calling for a transitional government that excludes mullahs and monarchists, and saying that MEK does not seek foreign intervention in Iran.
Forty days after his death, large-scale memorial ceremonies were held in Tehran and other major cities across Iran. The main gathering took place in the capital, where large crowds participated in organized mourning processions, religious ceremonies, and public demonstrations. Reuters reported that hundreds of thousands of people took part in the main march in Tehran, while state and international media described nationwide participation across multiple cities.
International
Reports of Khamenei's assassination were followed by demonstrations in a number of countries across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Reactions varied by location: in some cities, people gathered for mourning rallies and protests against the United States and Israel, while in others smaller groups assembled to express support for the strikes. Celebration rallies were also held worldwide by the Iranian diaspora after news of Khamenei's death. Reports of celebrations of Khamenei's death were censored in China.
Across the United States, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in cities including Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston, to protest the US–Israeli strikes.
In India, thousands nationwide joined protests in outcry. Prayer meetings and widespread demonstrations were organized by members of Shia Muslim communities in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi and other areas. Some participants carryied portraits of Khamenei and Iranian flags, and were condemning the attacks. Mourning and protest rallies were held across Shia-populated areas of India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, Lucknow, and Kargil. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Shia Shariat Association announced a period of public mourning for 40 days and asked their followers to celebrate the day by hoisting black flags and organizing religious activities. Protest rallies were also held in the cities of Lucknow and Kargil, with a large number of citizens carrying the pictures of the Iranian leader while expressing solidarity with the people of Iran.
In Bangladesh, a demonstration organized by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami condemned Khamenei's killing and called for OIC intervention.
In Greece, over 1,300 protesters, rallied in Athens with banners reading "Hands off Iran."
In Baghdad, demonstrators attempted to approach the US embassy, leading to clashes with security forces.
Anti-war protests were held in Rabat, Morocco, while in Kano, Nigeria, Shia Muslims waved Iranian and Palestinian flags and decried US and Israeli actions.
In Pakistan, many condemned the strikes that killed Khamenei and expressed solidarity with Iran. The MMU and various communities launched widespread protests and three-day mourning periods in solidarity with Iran. Demonstrators gathered in major cities voiced opposition to the assassination and called out perceived government complicity. Some protests in Karachi and Gilgit-Baltistan escalated into clashes with security forces, resulting in casualties and prompting temporary curfews and military deployment.
Smaller anti-war demonstrations were also reported in South Korea, Spain, Turkey, and United Kingdom.
State actors
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi condemned the attack on Iran and expressed condolences to the Iranian government and public over the targeting of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Reactions from other governments and officials were divided. In Argentina, President Javier Milei praised the Israeli–United States military operation and described Khamenei in highly condemnatory terms, while also linking him to Iran's support for terrorism and the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires. Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno similarly attributed the AMIA bombing to Iran through Hezbollah and said Khamenei's death and the possible collapse of the Iranian government could bring relief to victims' families. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Khamenei would not be mourned and held him responsible for Iran’s missile program, support for proxy groups, and repression of civilians. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the deaths of Khamenei and other Iranian officials in the reported US-Israeli strikes. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev also expressed condolences to Pezeshkian, describing Khamenei's death as a major loss for Iran without referring to its cause. Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said it was saddened by the assassination and characterized it as a violation of international law and norms. In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney supported the strikes, including the one reported to have killed Khamenei, while denying Canadian involvement; however, retired Major-General Denis Thompson said, citing sources within CENTCOM, that Canadian personnel at the Combined Aerospace Operations Centre had provided intelligence support during the war.
China strongly condemned the killing, calling it a serious violation of Iran's sovereignty, the UN Charter, and international norms. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the killing of a sovereign leader and calls for regime change were unacceptable. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko condemned the killing as treacherous and offered condolences on behalf of the Belarusian people. Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Khamenei's assassination but recommended that Iran avoid further escalation. North Korea condemned the attacks on Iran as an "illegal act of aggression", calling it "shameless and gangster-like conduct" by the United States and Israel, which it claimed had chosen to "abuse military force to fulfill their selfish and hegemonic ambitions," though it did not mention the assassination of Khamenei. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the assassination a "cynical murder". He sent his condolences to Pezeshkian and said that "Khamenei's assassination is a violation of all standards of human morality and international law." In Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that he was saddened by Khamenei's death and that Turkey will continue diplomatic efforts to "regain peace and stability".
In Africa, Chad's President Mahamat Déby expressed condolences to Iran and solidarity with the Iranian people.