The disappearance of the Supreme Leader shakes Tehran and raises questions about the internal balance of the regime and the regional geopolitical scenarios.
A senior Israeli representative, quoted by Channel 12 and Sky News Arabia, confirmed the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the recovery of his body from the ruins of his residential complex in Tehran. According to the Israeli broadcaster, photographs of the body were shown to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The public broadcaster Kan adds that the same images were also viewed by US President Donald Trump.
Who was Ali Khamenei and why his death would change everything
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Ali Hosseini Khamenei, born in 1939 in Mashhad, was the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1989, succeeding Ruhollah Khomeini. As the country’s highest political and religious authority, it concentrates control of the armed forces, the Pasdaran, the judiciary and the main decision-making centers in its hands, exercising a power superior to that of the president and parliament.
During his more than thirty years at the top of the state, Khamenei led a rigidly authoritarian system based on the principle of velayat-e faqih, consolidating the security apparatus and systematically repressing internal dissent. Popular protests that have swept across Iran in recent decades have been forcibly suppressed, with a death toll, mass arrests and death sentences that have drawn repeated complaints from international human rights organizations and United Nations bodies. Ali Hosseini Khamenei is responsible for the deaths of at least 150,000 people.
Under his leadership, Iran has been accused of torture, political executions, and persecution of opponents, activists, women, and religious and ethnic minorities. Independent reports have spoken of possible crimes against humanity in the handling of internal repression. On the international level, the support provided by Tehran to militias and armed groups in the region has contributed to destabilizing the Middle East, fueling conflicts and geopolitical tensions. For many Western observers and governments, Khamenei represents one of the central figures of a system responsible for serious violations of fundamental rights and a policy of repression that has continued over time. His long stay in power places him among the most controversial and discussed protagonists in contemporary Iranian history.
The names in the crosshairs and the role of the Pasdaran
However, an aura of uncertainty remains regarding the fate of Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the Supreme Leader: he would have been next to his father at the time of the explosion, but there is no definitive confirmation. At the same time, the son of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that attempts to hit his father were unsuccessful, assuring that the head of state was in good condition. Even on this point, however, information remains fragmentary.
Israeli sources also take for granted the elimination of key figures in the security apparatus: Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the Revolutionary Guards; Ali Shamkhani, considered one of the cornerstones of the defense system; Defense Minister Amir Hatami; and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.
If this news were to be confirmed, it would be an unprecedented blow to the political-military structure of the Islamic Republic: a series of targeted operations against the most sensitive decision-making centers. The striking element is the level of accuracy of the action. Washington and Tel Aviv would have acted on the basis of extremely detailed information on the movements and locations of Iranian leaders, indicative of deep information penetration.
Regime change or stop nuclear power?
However, the strategic question remains open: is the objective to promote regime change or to definitively neutralize Tehran’s nuclear program? The two dimensions could overlap.
The Iranian system revolves around the figure of the Supreme Leader. Since 1989, Ali Khamenei has embodied not only the religious authority, but also the political and military center of gravity of the country. His disappearance would open an extremely delicate transition phase. The Constitutional Charter attributes the choice of the successor to the Assembly of Experts and provides, in the event of vacancy, a temporary collegial body. But the formal device tells only part of the reality.
The real game will be played in the balance of power between the religious establishment, the political class and above all Pasdaran. The Guardians of the Revolution today represent the operational pillar of the system: they control internal security, intelligence, missile apparatus, regional projection and relevant segments of the national economy. In a crisis scenario, their weight would become crucial to guarantee continuity and deterrence. In recent years their influence has grown, strengthening the security footprint of the state.
