Just now, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced the elimination of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Below is the full text of his statement published on the Truth Social platform:
The assassination of Khamenei, one of the most brutal leaders in history, is justice not only for the Iranian people but also for many Americans and citizens of other countries who have fallen victim to his regime. He could not escape our attention and high technology, and by cooperating with Israel, he and his accomplices could not withstand our intervention. Now the Iranian people have a unique opportunity to restore their country. We hear that many in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and other forces no longer wish to fight and are seeking our protection.
As I noted yesterday: “Now they can receive protection, or else they face only death!” I hope that the Guard Corps and the police will unite with Iranian patriots to restore the country’s lost greatness.
This process must begin soon, as Khamenei is dead, and the country itself is in a state of almost total destruction. Intense bombings will continue throughout the week or as long as it takes to achieve our goal – peace in the Middle East and ultimately in the whole world!
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Iranian Shah, expressed joy over Khamenei's death.
“Ali Khamenei, the evil Zahhak of our time, responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of brave Iranians, has been erased from history,” Pahlavi wrote on social media.
“With his death, the Islamic Republic will effectively cease to exist and will be sent to the dustbin of history.”
Pahlavi urged Iranian authorities not to appoint a new leader and noted that this is the “last chance” for the military and security forces to join the people.
“This is the beginning of our great national celebration, but the path is not yet complete.”
After the 1979 revolution, he and his family were forced to leave the country and have lived in the USA ever since.
An analyst claims that the US “made a serious mistake,” and Khamenei has become a “martyr.”
Harlan Ullman, chairman of the Killowen Group strategic advisory firm and a senior advisor at the Atlantic Council in Washington, believes that the US made a “significant mistake by killing Khamenei.”
“Now he is a martyr, and if Ali Larijani is still alive, he will become a serious opponent. He heads the Supreme National Security Council, and he is a dangerous enemy,” Ullman stated in an interview with Al Jazeera.
According to him, Washington should not expect negotiations with the Iranian leadership, as was the case with Venezuela after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
“I don’t think so,” Ullman added. “Decapitation is only effective when all leaders are eliminated, and I’m not sure that has happened.”
In Mashhad, Iranians mourn Khamenei.
The Iranian television channel Press TV showed footage of Khamenei's supporters mourning his death at the Imam Reza mausoleum in Mashhad.
Some are crying, while others lie on the floor in grief.
At the same time, reports of celebrations and fireworks in Tehran followed the announcement of his death. Many Iranians blame Khamenei and his security forces for ordering the killing of thousands of protesters in recent weeks.
Trump: diplomacy after the attack on Iran has become “much easier.”
The US President has criticized Iran twice in the context of negotiations over its nuclear program, and many experts believe that this step undermines trust in Washington.
Nevertheless, in an interview with CBS News, Trump expressed the opinion that the US is in a better position to achieve a diplomatic solution with Iran.
“Now it’s much easier than it was yesterday,” Trump said, adding: “They are being hit hard.”
He also noted that Iran's retaliatory actions, such as attacks on Israel and American bases in the region, have turned out to be “less decisive than we expected.”
“We thought it would be more extensive,” he added.
Qatar reports 16 injuries from Iranian attacks.
The Qatari Ministry of Interior reported eight new injuries from Iranian attacks, raising the total number of casualties to 16.
The statement also mentioned “minor material damage in various areas.”
The President of Iran promises retaliation for Khamenei's assassination.
The President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, condemned Khamenei's assassination as a “loud crime” and promised that retaliatory actions would follow.
“This crime will never go unpunished and will open a new chapter in the history of the Islamic world and Shiism. The blood of this high-profile leader will be the revenge that will eradicate American-Zionist oppression,” the statement read.
“We will make sure that those responsible and the commanders of this crime will regret their actions, relying on all our strength and the support of the free peoples of the world,” he added.
In addition to 40 days of mourning, Pezeshkian also announced seven days of public holidays.
Photos: Iranians gather in Tehran to honor Khamenei.
[West Asia News Agency via Reuters]
On Sunday, the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed as a result of a joint US-Israeli attack on the country on Saturday [Atta Kenare/AFP].
[Majid Asgaripur/WANA via Reuters]
[Atta Kenare/AFP]
