Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei alive, foreign minister says amid Israel attack
What's the story
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is still alive, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with NBC News. This comes after Israeli media reported that the 86-year-old leader may have been killed in recent strikes. Israel's Channel 12 had cited unnamed sources saying there were "growing indications" of Khamenei's death, a claim echoed by other Israeli outlets but pending confirmation.
Attack details
Iranian defense minister, Revolutionary Guards commander killed
The Israeli and US attack on Iran, named "Operation Epic Fury," started on Saturday morning. The first strikes hit areas near Khamenei's offices. A satellite image published by the New York Times showed damage to his Tehran compound, which also serves as his official residence. Reportedly, Iranian Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammad Pakpour were killed in these attacks.
Leaders' statements
Netanyahu justifies strikes; Trump warns Iranians
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu justified the strikes, saying Tehran was investing heavily in nuclear weapons and missiles aimed at destroying Israel. He said the attacks were intended to help the Iranian people overthrow Khamenei's regime. US President Donald Trump echoed this sentiment in a video message after the strikes began. He warned Iranians of dangerous conditions outside and urged them to take over their government when it was safe.
Iran's response
Iran vows strong response against US, Israel
In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on US assets in multiple countries and missiles at Israel. The Iranian foreign ministry condemned the "criminal military aggression" by the United States and Israel. It emphasized that despite ongoing negotiations with the US, they were prepared for defense against this assault. The ministry vowed a strong response from the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Khamenei address
Khamenei to address?
Iran's Al-Alam TV reported at around 8:20pm IST that Khamenei will "speak within minutes." On the other hand, Araghchi stated that he had communicated with Gulf states and clarified that Iran has no intention to attack them. Instead, he mentioned that the actions against American bases are acts of self-defense. He added that "if Americans want to talk to us, they know how they can contact me. We are certainly interested in de-escalation."