In a solemn official statement early Sunday, the Iranian government announced the martyrdom of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, affirming that he attained the “great grace of martyrdom” following the “brutal attack carried out by the criminal US government and the odious Zionist regime.”
The statement opened with the Quranic verse “Those who have done wrong will know to what return they shall return.”
Addressing the noble and steadfast Iranian people, the government expressed profound sorrow, noting that the Leader “guided the Islamic nation until the very last moment of his blessed and historic life, confronting disbelief, tyranny, and global arrogance.”
A Legacy of Leadership and Courage
The statement described Imam Khamenei as the rightful successor to the spirit of Ruhollah Khomeini, who over more than 37 years exercised “wise leadership, stewardship, and the rightful bearing of the Islamic front’s banner,” leaving a “new chapter in the history of Islamic governance through his unparalleled courage and steadfast faith.”
His Eminence was recognized as “the Imam of Truthful Promise, the Imam of Hope and Strength” in the minds of the free, the oppressed, and the mujahideen, and it was affirmed that alongside the name of “the Great Khomeini,” he will remain immortal in the hearts of people worldwide.
The statement highlighted his virtues, including “command of contemporary knowledge, wisdom, foresight, pure faith, sincerity in action, iron will, steadfastness in words, deeds, and goals, rare courage, deep understanding of religious knowledge, a transparent and pure spirit, and trust and reliance upon God,” describing these as qualities rarely united in a political leader.
National Mourning and Condemnation
The Iranian government announced a 40-day period of national mourning, including a seven-day official closure, in solidarity with the Iranian people. It extended its deepest condolences to “the presence of the Awaited Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), the Iranian nation, the Islamic Nation, and all free people of the world.”
The statement also warned that “this heinous crime will not go unanswered and will open a new chapter in the history of the Islamic world and Shi’ism,” emphasizing that “the pure blood of this noble leader will surge like a mighty spring, uprooting the foundations of US–Zionist oppression and crime.”
“With full strength and resolve, backed by the support of the Islamic nation and the free people of the world, we will ensure that the architects and executors of this heinous act will regret their deeds.”
The government concluded by affirming that “our beloved Iran, relying on God’s victory, united in voice and heart, will overcome this difficult turning point with honor and dignity,” stressing that “God watches over our oppressors and supports the believers and the oppressed.”