Tehran, Iran — March 1, 2026 — In a remarkable outpouring of public emotion, thousands of Iranians flooded streets, rooftops and balconies across major cities late Saturday and early Sunday, cheering, dancing, playing loud music, setting off fireworks and honking car horns after state media confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes.
Iranian state television announced early Sunday that the 86-year-old Khamenei — who had led the Islamic Republic since 1989 — was killed when strikes hit his office and compound in central Tehran on Saturday morning. The broadcaster, visibly emotional, declared 40 days of national mourning and a week of public holidays. The announcement followed hours after U.S. President Donald Trump revealed the operation’s success on Truth Social, calling Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history” and stating that “heavy and pinpoint bombing” would continue “uninterrupted throughout the week or as long as necessary” to achieve regime change and “peace throughout the Middle East.”
Celebrations erupt amid mourning
Videos verified by AFP, BBC Persian, CNN and The New York Times captured scenes of jubilation in Tehran, Isfahan, Karaj, Shiraz and other cities. Residents leaned from windows blasting Persian pop music, danced in the streets, waved pre-1979 Iranian flags or white cloths symbolizing freedom, and chanted slogans like “Freedom!” and “Death to the dictator!” In some footage, women were seen removing mandatory hijabs in open defiance. Car horns blared through the night, and fireworks lit the sky.
“This feels like the end of a nightmare,” one Tehran resident told foreign media via encrypted channels. Similar celebrations broke out among Iranian diaspora communities in Los Angeles, London, Berlin and elsewhere.
The scenes contrasted sharply with state-orchestrated mourning rallies, where crowds waved black flags, held portraits of Khamenei and chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic,” threatening massive retaliation against Israel and U.S. bases. Reports indicate around 40 senior officials, including top IRGC commanders and adviser Ali Shamkhani, were also killed.
A historic turning point
Khamenei’s death creates an immediate power vacuum. Under Iran’s constitution, the 88-member Assembly of Experts must choose a successor, while a temporary three-man council (president, judiciary chief and a senior cleric) assumes interim duties. No successor has yet been named.
The U.S.-Israeli operation, dubbed “Epic Fury” by U.S. officials and “Roaring Lion” by Israel, targeted leadership compounds, missile sites, air defenses and nuclear-related facilities. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have urged the Iranian people and military to seize the moment for change. Russia condemned the strikes as “unprovoked aggression.”
The celebrations reflect long-simmering discontent fueled by economic collapse, strict social controls and violent crackdowns on past protests. At the same time, the regime retains a loyal base among hardliners, security forces and segments of the rural population.
The situation remains extremely fluid. Further U.S.-Israeli strikes are expected, Iran has promised retaliation, and analysts warn of possible chaos, internal power struggles or a broader regional war.
This is a developing story.
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