- By Akansha Pandey
- Sat, 07 Mar 2026 12:32 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
In a defiant posthumous message, the official X account of Iran's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a chilling warning to Israel following his assassination. The post, appearing a week after his death was confirmed, claimed the "Zionist regime" had committed a "big mistake" that would lead to its eventual desperation.
The Zionist regime has made a big mistake, and its consequences will make the regime desperate, by God's grace. pic.twitter.com/vBVMXIYjaf
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) March 6, 2026
Iran's 86-year-old Supreme leader Khamenei was killed last weekend in a massive, coordinated strike by US and Israeli forces. The operation targeted his high-security compound on Pasteur Street in Tehran, a mission reportedly years in the making. Intelligence agencies had meticulously mapped the capital and tracked the movements of the Supreme Leader’s elite security detail to find the perfect window for the hit.
The strike was reportedly green-lit by President Donald Trump from Air Force One. Acting on that authorisation, Israeli jets delivered dozens of precision munitions, leveling the complex and killing several other high-ranking Iranian officials alongside the cleric.
A Shaken Political Landscape
As Iran enters a state of mourning with a three-day ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Mosque, the nation faces a massive power vacuum. Khamenei had held the reins of power since 1989, and his sudden exit has sparked a frantic search for a successor. While his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is widely viewed as a frontrunner, no official transition has been announced.
Trump's Response To Succession
The geopolitical fallout is already visible. President Trump has taken an aggressive stance on the succession, openly criticising Mojtaba as unacceptable and suggesting the US intends to influence who leads the Islamic Republic next. He warned that any leader following in the late Ayatollah's footsteps would face continued conflict with Washington.