Published: Mar 01, 2026, 10:30 IST | Updated: Mar 01, 2026, 10:30 IST
Iranian state media has confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic since 1989, has died following joint United States and Israeli strikes, marking a major turning point in the ongoing Middle East conflict. Khamenei, 86, ruled Iran’s political, military, and religious institutions for more than three decades.