An Iranian news anchor broke down in tears on air while announcing the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after the airstrikes in Iran. As Iranian state television officially announced the death of Khamenei, 86, the news anchor broke down in tears while reading a statement from the National Supreme Council.
Ali Khamenei was killed on Saturday in the airstrike attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. On Sunday, Iran's state media confirmed that multiple members of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's family, including his daughter and grandchild, were killed in the military strikes. The 86-year-old ruler's daughter-in-law and son-in-law were also confirmed dead in the attack.
Unable to Bear the Pain
"God is great. God is great. With deep sorrow, it is announced to the nation of Iran that Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, was martyred today in a joint criminal attack by the United States and the Zionist regime," the anchor said in a clip posted on X, according to the New York Post.
The anchor read out a statement describing Ali Khamenei as a deeply revered Islamic religious figure, saying his "long dream of martyrdom became true," according to the New York Times.
The broadcast also noted that he was killed during the holy month of Ramadan.
As the anchor continued reading from the paper in front of him, his voice faltered. He grew visibly emotional, choking up before covering his face with his hand and briefly clutching his head as he tried to regain his composure on air.
Voices from behind the camera could also be heard breaking down, suggesting others in the studio were crying along with him.
According to the statement, Iranians were said to be mourning their leader's death, while warning the country's enemies that "martyrdom will spark a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors."
The anchor struggled to get through the broadcast, breaking down in tears for a second time as he continued reading.
The announcement also declared an official 40-day mourning period and a seven-day national holiday following the death of Ali Khamenei.
Mayhem in Iran
Satellite images later showed his Tehran compound engulfed in smoke after being hit in the strikes. His body was recovered from beneath the rubble, and four members of his family, along with two senior military commanders, were also killed.
Iranian state media formally confirmed his death early Sunday, closing the announcement with the words, "To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return."
Khamenei's wife, Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, along with his children and several grandchildren, were believed to have been living with him at the compound.
The couple had six children—four sons, Massoud Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, Mostafa Khamenei and Meysam Khamenei, and two daughters, Bushra Khamenei and Hoda Khamenei.
Earlier on Saturday, Donald Trump confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a Truth Social post, writing that "one of the most evil people in History, is dead."
"This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS," Trump wrote.
"He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do."
