People gather at the Enghelab Square in Tehran after Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Israeli and US strikes on Saturday. The death in a US-Israeli air strike of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday means a change in personnel and, perhaps, policy adjustments at the top of the regime – but not major change. The IRCG is a pillar of the regime while Iran’s security forces have brutally suppressed protests and crippled the domestic opposition. After returning to Tehran, after 14 years in exile, he launched the “Iranian Islamic Revolution”. The expediency council advises the supreme leader and resolves differences between the government and legislature, while the assembly of experts appoints the supreme leader and vets potential candidates for election.

Source: The Irish Times March 01, 2026 17:07 UTC