इरानका सर्वोच्च नेता आयतोल्लाह अली खामेनीको निधन पुष्टि, ४० दिन राष्ट्रिय शोक घोषणाIran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Confirmed Dead; 40 Days of National Mourning Declared
इरानका सर्वोच्च नेता आयतोल्लाह अली खामेनीको निधन भएको इरानको राज्य टेलिभिजनले पुष्टि गरेको छ। सरकारी प्रसारणमार्फत् एक प्रस्तोताले भावुक हुँदै खामेनीको मृत्यु भएको जानकारी दिँदै देशभर ४० दिन राष्ट्रिय शोक घोषणा गरिएको जनाएको बीबीसीले उल्लेख गरेको छ।
यसअघि अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रम्पले सामाजिक सञ्जाल ट्रुथ सोसलमार्फत् खामेनी मारिएको दाबी गरेका थिए। तर त्यसबेला इरान सरकारले उक्त दाबीको पुष्टि गरेको थिएन। इरानका विदेशमन्त्री अब्बास अराघचीले समेत एनबीसीसँगको अन्तर्वार्तामा खामेनी सुरक्षित र स्वस्थ रहेको बताएका थिए।
तर पछि इरानको सरकारी सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूले नै खामेनीको मृत्यु भएको पुष्टि गरेका हुन्। अलजजिराका अनुसार फार्स न्युज एजेन्सीले खामेनी शनिबार बिहान आफ्नै कार्यालयमा जिम्मेवारी निर्वाह गरिरहेकै बेला मारिएको जनाएको छ। सरकारले ४० दिन राष्ट्रिय शोकका साथै सात दिन सार्वजनिक बिदा घोषणा गरेको समाचारमा उल्लेख गरिएको छ। तस्निम न्युज एजेन्सीले पनि उनको निधन पुष्टि गरेको छ।
८६ वर्षीय इस्लामिक विद्वान खामेनी सन् १९८९ देखि इरानका सर्वोच्च नेताको पदमा रहँदै आएका थिए। उनले इस्लामिक गणतन्त्र इरानका संस्थापक आयतुल्लाह रुहोल्लाह खोमेनीको उत्तराधिकारीका रूपमा नेतृत्व सम्हालेका थिए। सन् १९७९ को इस्लामिक क्रान्तिपछि स्थापित शासन व्यवस्थामा सर्वोच्च नेताको रूपमा खामेनीसँग सेना, न्यायपालिका तथा राज्यका प्रमुख निकायहरूमाथि अन्तिम अधिकार रहेको थियो।
आफ्नो शासनकालमा उनले पश्चिमा मुलुकहरूसँग तनावपूर्ण सम्बन्ध, आर्थिक प्रतिबन्ध तथा आन्तरिक विरोध प्रदर्शनहरूको सामना गरेका थिए। उनले अमेरिका र इजरायललाई इरानका प्रमुख शत्रुका रूपमा चित्रित गर्दै आएका थिए।
खामेनीको शक्ति संरचनामा इस्लामिक रिभोलुसनरी गार्ड कर्प्स (IRGC) र बासिज अर्धसैनिक बलको महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका रहेको मानिन्छ। लाखौँ स्वयंसेवक आबद्ध बासिज बलले शासन सुरक्षामा सक्रिय भूमिका निर्वाह गर्दै आएको छ।
आणविक कार्यक्रमका विषयमा खामेनीले इरानले कहिल्यै आणविक हतियार नबनाउने र कार्यक्रम शान्तिपूर्ण नागरिक प्रयोजनका लागि मात्र रहेको दाबी गर्दै आएका थिए। अमेरिकी गुप्तचर निकाय तथा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आणविक ऊर्जा एजेन्सी (IAEA) ले पनि हतियार निर्माणको स्पष्ट प्रमाण फेला नपारेको बताइएको छ। यद्यपि इजरायल र ट्रम्प प्रशासनका केही अधिकारीहरूले भने इरानमाथि निरन्तर दबाब दिँदै आएका थिए।
हालै २०२५ जुनमा भएको १२ दिने युद्ध र त्यसपछिका प्रतिशोधात्मक आक्रमणपछि इजरायली नेतृत्वले खामेनीलाई लक्षित गर्दै कडा अभिव्यक्ति दिएको थियो। इजरायली रक्षा मन्त्री इजरायल काट्जले उनलाई “आधुनिक हिटलर” भन्दै नेतृत्वबाट हटाउनुपर्ने बताएका थिए। फेब्रुअरी २८, २०२६ मा भएको पछिल्लो आक्रमणमा पनि इरानी नेतृत्वलाई लक्षित गरिएको इजरायली अधिकारीहरूले स्वीकार गरेका छन्।
अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति ट्रम्पले इरानी नागरिकलाई आफ्नो सरकार परिवर्तन गर्न आह्वान गर्दै अमेरिका इरानमा सत्ता परिवर्तनको पक्षमा रहेको संकेत दिएका थिए। इजरायली प्रधानमन्त्री बेन्जामिन नेतान्याहुले समेत खामेनीमाथि आक्रमण प्रयासको सम्भावनालाई पूर्ण रूपमा अस्वीकार नगरेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय सञ्चारमाध्यमहरूले जनाएका छन्।
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has died, according to confirmation broadcast by Iran’s state television, which also announced a 40-day period of national mourning following his death.
A state TV presenter, appearing emotional during the announcement, confirmed the passing of the 86-year-old leader. International media outlets, including the BBC, reported that the Iranian government has officially declared nationwide mourning, along with seven days of public holidays.
Earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump had claimed on his Truth Social platform that Khamenei had been killed. However, Iranian authorities initially denied the claim, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling NBC News that the Supreme Leader was safe and in good health at the time.
Subsequently, multiple Iranian state-affiliated media organizations confirmed the news. According to Al Jazeera, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that Khamenei was killed early Saturday morning while carrying out official duties in his office. Tasnim News Agency also independently confirmed his death.
Who Was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew U.S.-backed monarch Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
As Supreme Leader, Khamenei held ultimate authority over Iran’s government institutions, armed forces, and judiciary, while also serving as the country’s highest religious authority.
During his decades-long rule, Iran faced strained relations with Western countries, severe economic sanctions, and multiple waves of domestic protests related to economic conditions and civil rights issues. Khamenei frequently described the United States as Iran’s primary adversary and viewed Israel as a major regional enemy.
His power base relied heavily on two major security institutions: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij paramilitary force, which includes millions of volunteers and plays a key role in maintaining internal security.
Nuclear Policy and International Tensions
Khamenei consistently maintained that Iran would never pursue nuclear weapons, insisting that the country’s nuclear program was solely for peaceful civilian purposes. U.S. intelligence agencies and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), have stated that no definitive evidence of an active nuclear weapons program had been found, although Israel and some members of the Trump administration continued to accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear capabilities.
Rising Regional Tensions
Regional tensions had intensified following a 12-day conflict in June 2025 and subsequent retaliatory strikes between Iran and Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reportedly stated that Khamenei’s continued existence should not be allowed, describing him as a “modern Hitler” and suggesting that removing him from power was among Israel’s strategic objectives.
During the latest attacks on February 28, 2026, Israeli officials acknowledged that both Khamenei and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were targeted. Donald Trump also addressed Iranian citizens, urging them to take control of their government — remarks interpreted as signaling U.S. support for regime change in Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also indicated that attempts to target Khamenei were not ruled out, according to international media reports.
