“And do not think of those who have been killed in the way of Allah as dead; rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.”
The above introduced the official statement which brought to an end all speculations about condition of the Islamic Republic of Iran Supreme Leader, Ayatolla Ali Khamenei.
The official statement, issued on Sunday, confirmed his death, offered condolences, paid a tribute to his soul and described him as a scholar, a great leader and martyr who migrated to God in what it called the blessed month of Ramadan.
The 86-year-old Khamenei’s death came through the joint US-Israel military operation which sparked on Saturday and recorded scary number of casualties. Aside the late leader, who is reported to have participated in a revolution which terminated the rule of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in 1979 and offended the US diplomatic interest in the region, no fewer than 165 school girls and staff were killed.
TheTabloid.net gathered that Khamenei’s daughter and grand-daughter also lost their lives along with him in that morning strike, which has left the nation in a 40-day mourning of the late ruler, who had spent his last moments in hiding underground in Tehran. “The bunker sat within a complex network interlocking tunnels,” a source said.
Khamenei was alleged to have exhausted and indeed given up confidence in his security protocols such that he did not disclose to them true picture of his state and movements. The source said top officials and ministers, who were scheduled to see him for meetings, were driven, physically blindfolded to and from his hideout to obviously shield them from geography of his location.
Despite his vigilance,
the CIA is said to have tracked him. The US President Donald Trump declared in June 2025 that the US intelligence knew the exact location of Khamenei, inferring that the US was only waiting for the hour to strike.
And that historic moment came on Saturday when “the CIA determined that Khamenei would chair a high-level meeting of Iran’s political and military leadership at a secure compound in central Tehran.
Another angle to the attack indicated that the air strike, which wiped out Iran leaders, during a joint meeting, was carried out by Israeli Air Force, not the US. The Wall Street Journal wrote, “Israeli fighter jets dropped 30 bombs on the complex where Khamenei resides after his location was identified.”
Although the actual reason behind this fire in Iran remains a subject of speculations of International Affairs analysts, there is an evidence pointing to fear of Iran by Israel and the US over its rising profile among militarily powerful nations of the international system.
A Professor of History, author and admnistrator, Professor Jide Osuntokun, in a recent article, argued “Even though there is no immediate threat facing the two countries from Iran, they, however, haveva mortal fear of Iran developing or acquiring nuclear weapons which will pose existential threat to Israel and also serious security challenge to the United States and its allies.”
Another reason adduced has a connection with Iran trade with China. It was learnt that China import on average 1.38 million barrels per day from Iran, a transaction which is alleged to have threatened the US economic influence in the region, given her seeming cat-and-mouse relationship with China.
Much against their expectations, Iran, since the killing of its Supreme Leader, has evidently refused to be intimidated and pushed back to the trenches. Iran forces have been lionised, and are out commited to a show of force, which is exposing the alliance to devastating counter attacks.
Though Trump still boasts of confidence and strenght, his body language indicates he is feeling the heat, especially the impact of indifference so far shown by his traditional ally, Britain in the operation.
Uncomfortable with Britain’s deafening silence, Trump had to speak up and call Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the task in a tone suggestive both disappointment and potential tension in their future relations.
Trump laments, “He has not been helpful..I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. It’s a different world, actually. It’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before.”
And Starmer would promptly return the salvo. In his address to the Parliament, he stressed that Britain is wiser not to repeat mistake he had made during the US’s offensive against Iraq.
He said, “We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive actions now.”
Before going to press on Friday, every hope of an early end to the raging flames desolved into doubt as the Iran’s Ministry of Defence continued to maintain its hard stand, in fact, talking tougher and not minding the degree of counter-offensives and harms inflicted in US allies in the Middle East region.
Without ambiguity, the ministry Spokesman, brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik affirmed, “We have prepared for a very long war, and therefore it would be foolish to use our most effective weapons in the very beginning. The enemy has a limited stockpile and everyone is aware of this fact.”
Dr Lasisi Olagunju, in his Monday Line column published in the Nigerian Tribune of March 2, shares Iran’s Ministry of Defence position. His article titled “The war of hubris in Iran” argues that end of the Supreme Leader would not end the war that ended his life based on History which confirms the Iranians enduring resistance spirit in face of enemies.
Olagunju alerts the world to “brace for a long engagement of missiles, warships, and warplanes, with all the social, political, and economic disruptions that follow. Nigeria, in particular, must remain vigilant.”
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