An interim council has been established in Iran to lead the country after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli attack. Several other high-ranking Iranian officials were also killed, including former president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. In the meantime, Israeli and retaliatory Iranian attacks continued. At least nine people were killed in Israel, and the target of Israeli attacks was again Tehran. The American president once again warned Iran not to attack American bases, because the response will be even more fierce.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkiyan expressed his regret over the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Saturday’s American-Israeli attack on Iran, in a recorded video message. Pezeškian announced to the nation that a temporary council had been established to govern the country until the election of a new supreme leader, who could be elected in the next few days.
“With the grace and strength of God, we will continue the path of the Imam, our great leader and all those who seek justice around the world. The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are hitting enemy bases hard and will continue to do so,” Pezeshkiyan said.
Thousands of people gathered in Tehran to pay their respects to the slain leader whose strict authoritarian views and policies shaped life in Iran for nearly four decades. A 40-day mourning was declared.
“We are here to show that we are united. We will always be on the side of the revolution,” said the gathered citizens.
“They killed our leader, but they should know that we will take revenge. They are mistaken if they think that by targeting our leader, they will enter our country. We will not give up even an inch of our country,” they stated.
Meanwhile, Israel continued to bomb targets in Iran on the second day of a joint strike with the United States, while Tehran retaliated. Nine people were killed in an Iranian airstrike on the city of Beit Shemesh. Targets were also targeted in the United Arab Emirates, where there were victims, as well as in Kuwait. The number of dead in the attack on the school in Iran has increased to more than 150. The death of three American soldiers has also been confirmed. The Israeli leadership says it will continue the operation as long as necessary.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the goals of the operation have been defined and will be achieved. “We will act as necessary, and as the Israeli army presents its plans, we will support them and enable the continuation of these efforts until the goals are achieved,” he said.
The American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was also allegedly targeted by Iranian attacks. The United States rejected these allegations, and previously US President Donald Trump issued a sharp threat to Iran.
“Iran has just announced that they are going to strike very hard today, harder than they have ever done before. They better not do that. However, if they do, we will hit them with a force that has never been seen before,” Trump said.
Due to growing tensions in the region, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate end to hostilities and a return to negotiations, warning that further escalation could lead to a wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security Kaja Kalas expressed the hope that the departure of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could bring more freedom to the Iranian people. Pope Leo XIV expressed deep concern about the situation in Iran and called on all parties to stop the violence.
Due to the assassination of Khamenei, protests broke out in Pakistan. At least nine people were killed in front of the American consulate in Karachi. Protests also broke out in Iraq and the Indian part of Kashmir.
