Unconfirmed reports by Iran’s opposition sources claimed that the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during Israel’s strikes on Tehran. It has emerged the report is false.
Iranian opposition Telegram channels had falsely claimed that his death will officially be announced in the next 48 hours. Crucially, these claims remain entirely unconfirmed by any independent or official sources.
An earlier report in the Times of Israel said that Khamenei was evacuated to an underground bunker in northeastern Tehran just hours after Israel began its strikes on Friday.
Khamenei is together with all of his family at the shelter in Lavizan, the report claimed. He sought shelter in the bunker when Iran launched its attacks on Israel in April and October 2024.
Khamenei was last seen publicly on June 13, delivering a televised message of defiance to the nation in the face of Israeli attacks. While some reports specifically allege his private residence on Palestine Street in Tehran was bombed, these remain unverified from sources with a vested interest and should be treated with extreme caution.
Trump “vetoes” Israel’s plan to assassinate Khamenei
According to Reuters, President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan in recent days to assassinate Khamenei. “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” said one of the sources, a senior US administration official.
The officials, in speaking on condition of anonymity, said top US officials have been in constant communication with Israeli officials in the days since Israel launched a massive attack on Iran in a bid to halt its nuclear program.
They said the Israelis reported that they had an opportunity to kill the top Iranian leader, but Trump waved them off the plan. The officials would not say whether Trump himself delivered the message. However, the US President has been in frequent communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu did not directly confirm or deny a report from Reuters that Trump had vetoed a plan to kill the ayatollah. “There’s so many false reports of conversations that never happened and I’m not going to get into that,” the Israeli PM said.
An Israeli official told CBS News that, “in principle,” Israel does not “kill political leaders, [but] we are focused on nuclear and military. I don’t think anyone making decisions about those programs should be living free and easy.”
Israel first launched an attack on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and other targets on Friday. The two countries have continued to launch massive strikes at each other since, with attacks entering a third day on Sunday.
Khamenei has served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.
Born in 1939, Khamenei played a significant role in the 1979 Iranian Revolution, rising through the clerical ranks and becoming President from 1981 to 1989.
As Supreme Leader, Khamenei holds ultimate authority over all major state policies, including foreign policy, the nuclear program, and the armed forces, effectively serving as commander-in-chief.
His tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to the principles of the revolution, a strong opposition to Western influence, and significant internal and regional challenges.
Despite persistent rumors pertaining to his health, the 85-year-old leader continues to appear in public, projecting an image of unwavering leadership in a nation facing complex geopolitical pressures.
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