Iran confirms Khamenei's killing after Trump's claim

Iranian state television on Sunday confirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, without referring to any massive US or Israeli attack on his residence.

A presenter on state television announced Khamenei's death at 5:00 am (0130 GMT), as the channel broadcast archive images with a black banner as a sign of mourning.

The confirmation came after United States President Donald Trump said Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in Israeli-US attacks on Iran.

Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform that the 86-year-old Khamenei was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes that began early Saturday.

“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” the US president wrote.

“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” he said. “Hopefully, the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots.”

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed.

Khamenei, 86, had served as Iran's Supreme Leader since 1989.

Source: AFP, Al Jazeera