In polarised Iran, Khamenei’s death triggers celebrations and grief
#Khamenei death #Iran reactions #U.S.-Israeli attack #Iranian polarization #Trump Iran #Supreme Leader #Social media videos #Monument toppling
📌 Key Takeaways
- Khamenei was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack after 36 years as Iran's Supreme Leader
- Iranians reacted with sharply divided emotions: mourning in some areas, celebration in others
- The death exposed deep societal divisions within Iran
- Trump had called on Iranians to overthrow their government following the attack
📖 Full Retelling
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack on Saturday, March 1, 2026, triggering sharply divided reactions across the nation as state TV announced his death in the early hours of Sunday. The 36-year ruler's demise exposed deep societal fault lines, with some Iranians mourning in the streets while others celebrated the news through demonstrations and social media posts. The Iranian state broadcaster announced Khamenei's death with an emotional voice, confirming he had been killed in the attack. Footage from Tehran showed mourners packed into squares, dressed in black and weeping. In stark contrast, videos verified by Reuters showed celebrations in multiple cities: people cheering as statues were toppled in Dehloran, dancing in Karaj's streets, and gathering in Izeh. Particularly significant was the toppling of a monument commemorating Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, in Galleh Dar. The reactions reflected Iran's deep polarization. A 33-year-old woman from Isfahan described crying from joy and disbelief, joining street celebrations in hopes that Khamenei's death would mean the end of the Islamic Republic. Conversely, primary school teacher Atousa Mirzade in Shiraz expressed concern about the future: 'I cannot be happy because I don't know what will happen to our country. We saw what happened in Iraq — chaos and bloodshed.' University student Hossein Dadbakhsh, 21, vowed revenge: 'The Zionist regime and Trump will pay a heavy price for the martyrdom of my leader.' Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump had urged Iranians to seize the moment to topple their government following the attack.
🏷️ Themes
Political polarization, Geopolitical conflict, Social division
📚 Related People & Topics
Supreme Leader
Topics referred to by the same term
A supreme leader or supreme ruler is a powerful figure with an unchallenged authority.
Entity Intersection Graph
Connections for Supreme Leader:
🌐
Iran
8 shared
👤
Ali Khamenei
6 shared
🌐
Israel
3 shared
🌐
Succession
2 shared
🌐
Middle East
2 shared
Original Source
try{ var _=i o; . if(!_||_&&typeof _==="object"&&_.expiry Trump warns Iran as new strikes follow Khamenei’s death Global gas markets face their biggest shock since 2022 on Iran conflict Regional leaders warned Trump of $100+ oil threat, analyst says Strategists see only temporary market impact from Iran strikes (South Africa Philippines Nigeria) In polarised Iran, Khamenei’s death triggers celebrations and grief By Reuters World Published 03/01/2026, 05:47 AM Updated 03/01/2026, 05:54 AM In polarised Iran, Khamenei’s death triggers celebrations and grief 0 By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI, March 1 - Some Iranians grieved while others celebrated the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, exposing a deep fault line in a country stunned by the sudden demise of the man who ruled for 36 years. Iranian state TV announced his death in the early hours of Sunday, the voice of the broadcaster breaking with emotion as he confirmed Khamenei had been killed in the U.S.-Israeli attack on Saturday. Footage from Tehran showed mourners packed into a square, dressed in black and many of them weeping. But videos posted on social media showed joy and defiance elsewhere, with people cheering as a statue was toppled in the city of Dehloran in Ilam province, dancing in the streets of Karaj city, near Tehran in Alborz province, and celebrating in the streets of Izeh in Khuzestan province. In the town of Galleh Dar in southern Iran, people knocked down a monument commemorating Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic in 1979, a video on social media showed. "Am I dreaming? Hello to the new world!" a man can be heard shouting in the video, as fires burned on a traffic circle where the monument was toppled, prompting cheers and applause. Reuters has verified the locations of these videos. Another video showed people celebrating in the town of Lapuee in southern Iran outside the house of a 15-year-old teenager, Pooya Jafari, who was shot dead during anti-government protests...
Read full article at source