Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei after becoming the Supreme Leader of Iran. Putin has expressed confidence that Mujtaba will complete the work of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It is said about Mujtaba that he used to run a big business network under the leadership of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. With the post of Supreme Leader, Mujtaba has got the right to take the final decision in all the matters of the country.

Russia will stand with Tehran: Putin

In a statement issued by the Kremlin, Putin said, ‘I am confident that you will continue to carry out your father’s work with honor and unite the Iranian people in difficult times. I would like to reaffirm our support for Tehran and our unity with our Iranian friends. Russia will stand with Tehran. Mujtaba Khamenei has long been considered a powerful figure in the country’s political and religious organization. However, he never held any elected office or publicly campaigned for leadership.

Iran’s Supreme Leader will not last: Trump

On the other hand, Donald Trump has said that without America’s permission, the Supreme Leader of Iran cannot last long. In an interview with ABC News, Trump said, ‘The appointment of Iran’s Supreme Leader cannot happen without our approval. Without Washington’s approval, the new Supreme Leader will not last long.

Mujtaba has worked with people close to the former Supreme Leader for decades, but still he has remained away from the public eye. Throughout his father’s leadership, Mujtaba Khamenei was believed to have considerable influence behind the scenes, particularly in the Supreme Leader’s Office and conservative political networks.

These names were included in the race for Supreme Leader

Names of many people came up in the race to elect the next Supreme Leader of Iran. Although Mujtaba’s name was being discussed since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but later many other names also came into the race. Apart from Mujtaba, the names of Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Mir Bagheri, Hassan Khomeini, Golam-Hossein Mohsini-Ezei and Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi were in the race.

After the attack on Iran by Israel and America in the Middle East, now the entire Gulf country has come under the grip of this war. India has given a balanced reaction to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the attack in Iran. However, India condemned the attack on Gulf countries by Tehran and called for reducing tension in West Asia through restraint and dialogue. Congress is attacking the Center over PM Modi’s silence on Khamenei’s death.

Khamenei spoke the language of Pakistan regarding Kashmir

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had made several statements on India’s internal affairs during the last 10 years, to which New Delhi had lodged a diplomatic protest. He had given statements against India on many issues including Kashmiri Muslims, Article 370, CAA. In 2017, Khamenei had described the Muslims of Kashmir as victims and had called upon Muslim countries to garner support for them. His statement was like Pakistani propaganda. At that time India had not adopted any new policy regarding Kashmir.

Gave controversial statement regarding Section 370 and CAA

The Government of India abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Khamenei had then demanded India to adopt a just policy on Kashmir, after which the Foreign Ministry had summoned the Iranian ambassador. After this, in the year 2020, he gave provocative statements regarding Delhi riots and CAA. During the debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in January 2020, Iran’s Parliament Speaker criticized the law as anti-Muslim discrimination, which India rejected as internal interference.

Khamenei used the hashtag #IndianMuslimsInDanger amid the Delhi riots in 2020. He said in a post on X, ‘The hearts of Muslims around the world are saddened by the massacre of Muslims in India. The Indian government should confront extremist Hindus and their groups and stop the genocide of Muslims so that India can be saved from being isolated from the Islamic world. After this MEA again summoned the Iranian Ambassador.

India had expressed protest against Khamenei’s statement

Khamenei had made a post in the year 2024, in which he had linked India with Myanmar and Gaza. Then the Indian Foreign Ministry had called his statement wrong and unacceptable. This tweet was seen by 27 lakh people. On all these occasions, India had protested against the statements given by Khamenei.

World reaction on Khamenei’s death

After the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, mixed reactions are being seen from all over the world. Even 10 out of 57 countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) did not publicly condole Khamenei’s death. Countries like Australia, America, Israel, Argentina, Ukraine have responded positively to this. At the same time, countries like Russia, China, North Korea, Turkey have condemned the attacks by America and Israel.

Iran has vowed revenge after the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attack by America and Israel. Meanwhile, Iran’s Jamkaran Mosque is once again in the headlines, which is considered very important religiously and politically. Iran has hoisted the red flag on the dome of this mosque. After Khamenei’s death, this flag was hoisted as a symbol of justice and vengeance. In Shia tradition it is seen as a symbol of martyrdom and struggle against injustice.

jamkran mosque meaning of red flag

This red flag over the Jamkaran Mosque reflects the growing anger and sense of revenge among Khamenei’s supporters amid increasing tension in the Middle East. Khamenei died in an airstrike in Tehran. After the joint attacks by America and Israel, the question has arisen whether this action is just military pressure or the beginning of regime change in Iran.

American justified its action in UN

Justifying its action against Iran in the United Nations, America said that the security of America’s allies does not depend on conditions. America defended military attacks against Iran during the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. The US Ambassador said, ‘Iran’s continued pursuit of advanced missile capabilities and its refusal to abandon nuclear ambitions despite diplomatic opportunities, represents a serious and growing threat.’

Trump warned Iran

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (1 March 2026) warned Iran against any military action, saying that he will attack that country with a force never seen before. Trump said, ‘Iran has just said that they will attack today with a force that has never been seen before, but they better not do that, because if they do, we will attack them with a force that has never been seen before.’

Iran’s Islamic Republic Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed to bring Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killers to justice after confirming the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on state television, promising a response that would be the worst attack in history against the US and Israel.

After the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei amidst the ongoing war in the Middle East, now the news of the death of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has come to light. Iranian Labor News Agency claimed on Sunday (1 March 2026) that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has died in an Israeli-US airstrike. He was the President of Iran from 2005 to 2013.

Claim of death of Iran’s former president

The report claimed that Ahmadinejad’s residence in Narmak, northeast of Tehran, was targeted in this attack, in which he and several bodyguards were killed. Before becoming president, Ahmadinejad served as governor of Ardabil province and mayor of Tehran. He was known for his anti-West stance. Ahmadinejad had many times made statements like denying the existence of Israel and erasing it from the world map.

Iran will continue to answer America and Israel: Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that after the death of the Supreme Leader, the new leadership council has started its work. He said that Iran will continue to give a strong response to the attacks by America and Israel. The news of Khamenei’s death has not only created an uproar in the politics of West Asia, but has also sparked a new debate on the controversial rule of the leader who maintained tight control over Iran for 36 years. Khamenei was almost as influential in Iranian society as his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979.

Demonstration in India after Khamenei’s death

After the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, people of Shia community in different parts of India from Kashmir to Karnataka took to the streets on Sunday and expressed anger and sorrow over this development. Scenes of mourning and sloganeering were also seen in New Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand and Telangana, where protesters holding posters of Khamenei expressed their anger against US and Israeli military actions.

After the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the attack by America and Israel, Tehran is burning in the fire of revenge. After Khamenei’s death, Iran has appointed senior religious leader Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi as the interim Supreme Leader. He has been appointed as a jurist member in the interim leadership council. This council will perform the responsibilities of the Supreme Leader until a new leader is selected according to the Constitution of Iran.

Arafi has held key positions during Khamenei’s leadership.

Ali Reza Arafi was appointed to important positions in Iran during Khamenei’s leadership. According to the Constitution of Iran, the Interim Council consists of the President, the Chief Justice and a religious leader from the Guardian Council. After Khamenei’s death, this council will take important decisions. The final decision on the new supreme leader will be taken by the assembly of experts. It is a religious body of 88 members, which has the final authority over the country’s political system, army and important institutions.

Who is Ali Reza Arafi, close to Khamenei?

Ali Reza Arafi (67 years) was born in the year 1959. He is considered an influential and senior personality in the religious system of Iran. Presently he is the Vice President of the Assembly of Experts. He has also been a member of the Guardian Council in the year 2019. This is the same institution that examines the candidates contesting elections and reviews the laws passed by the Parliament. He is also the head of Iran’s Islamic seminary system spread across the country.

Arafi also chaired Al-Mustafa International University, a leading institution for training religious leaders from Iran and abroad. Religiously they are very established and respected. Arafi’s rise is only the second change in supreme leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. This is a moment that will test Iran’s political structure and its ability to maintain cohesion under challenging circumstances.

40 days mourning announced in Iran after Khamenei’s death

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. After his death, the Iranian government announced 40 days of mourning. Four of Khamenei’s relatives, including his daughter, grandson and son-in-law, were killed in the US-Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, Trump said that a major military campaign against Iran will continue.

Trump said, “The heavy and precise bombing will continue without interruption throughout the week or as long as is necessary to achieve our objective of peace in the Middle East and, indeed, throughout the world.” Trump has once again reiterated his previous appeal to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Armed Forces and police to lay down their weapons in exchange for immunity.

The resounding explosions in Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have once again brought West Asia to the brink of war. After the joint attacks by America and Israel, the question has arisen whether this action is just military pressure or the beginning of regime change in Iran. The American official said that it was necessary to target Khamenei first in the attack so that the advantage of the surprise attack could be taken. He indicated that if the Iranian supreme leader got the chance, he could go into hiding.

Why was Khamenei attacked only on Saturday morning?

According to the report of news agency Reuters, the American official said that preparations were made to target Khamenei on Saturday (28 February 2026). He said, ‘It was expected that Khamenei would hold a meeting in Tehran on Saturday evening, but Israeli intelligence agencies detected a meeting on Saturday morning, after which the attack was carried out first.’

At the very beginning of the joint operation between Israel and America, Khamenei’s high security compound in Tehran was attacked and satellite images confirmed that the compound was completely destroyed. As soon as the US-Israeli attack began, Tehran retaliated by launching drones and missiles against Tel Aviv, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan and Kuwait.

Iran will take revenge on Khamenei’s killers: IRGC

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to take revenge on Khamenei’s killers. IRGC said that the most terrible attack in history will be carried out against America and Israel. Israel said Khamenei was killed along with his top aides, including former National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani and IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour.

Two Iranian sources told Reuters that Khamenei had met with Shamkhani and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani at a secure location on Saturday, shortly before the attack began. Iranian state television confirmed the news of the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday (1 March 2025). Iranian media also reported the death of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.

Israel attacked many cities including Iran’s capital Tehran on Saturday (28 February 2026) morning. In response, apart from Israel, Iran has also attacked American bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Iran has released a symbolic picture of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran targeted American military bases

Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in UAE, US 5th Fleet Base in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh, Israel’s Haifa and Gali cities.

Iran has approached the United Nations in retaliation to Israel’s attacks. Iran has demanded the UN to intervene in this war. Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing citizens, said in a video message that Israel and the US have launched a campaign to end the terrorist regime in Iran.

Khamenei government shed our blood: Netanyahu

He said, ‘I thank my friend President Donald Trump for his historic leadership. For 47 years, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime has been raising slogans of Down with Israel and Down with America. It has shed our blood, murdered many Americans and massacred its own people. This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to accumulate nuclear weapons as this would enable it to become a threat to all humanity.’

We will punish Israel: Iran

Iran said that we will punish the attackers for their crimes. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said, ‘The attack by America and Israel is a violation of territorial integrity and national sovereignty. This attack happened when the diplomatic process was going on. Iranians have never accepted defeat before foreign attack and dominance. This time too, the Iranian country’s response will be decisive and firm and will make the attackers repent for their crime.

After the tension with Iran, America has laid siege to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Aden with one of its aircraft carriers in the Arabian Sea so that Iran can be surrounded. Since there is no land border between America and Iran, it can be assumed that if there is any war between the two countries, it can be non-contact, either through sea or sky. In such a situation, assessment of the Navy and Air Force of both the countries is very important.

Whose navy is stronger between America and Iran?

America has 20 aircraft carriers. These are huge military bases floating in the sea, on which dozens of F-18 Super Hornet fighter jets and helicopters can be deployed. Apart from this, America has more than 450 warships. Whereas Iran has only 279 warships and no aircraft carriers. America has 70 submarines and Iran has 25 submarines. Through these submarines, Iran’s Navy is preparing to open a front against America’s aircraft carriers and warships.

Iranian Air Force will not be able to stand against America

While the US Air Force has 13 thousand fighter jets, surveillance aircraft, transport aircraft, tankers (refueling) and helicopters, Iran has only 1000 aircraft. The US Air Force has the world’s advanced and most dangerous stealth aircraft like F-22 and F-35. Apart from this, there are C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft that go from one corner of the world to another. The Iranian Air Force has Russian MiG-29s from the 80s and old F-14 fighter jets from the 70s. Now no air force in the world uses these F-14s.

How can Iran outweigh America?

In June last year, America used the same F-22 and F-35 fighter jets to attack Iran’s nuclear plants, which no radar or surveillance system in the world could even detect, let alone track. If Iran can outweigh America in any matter, it is missiles and drones. Although America has many military bases in the Gulf countries, but ground-based missiles are less. This is the reason why last year America attacked Iran with its submarine launched missile.

Iran has ballistic to hypersonic missiles, which are believed to have been developed secretly with the help of Russia and China. These include Fatah, Zulfaghar, Shabab, Gadar and Koramshahr. Through these missiles, Iran had turned the tide of the 12-day war against Israel last year. Iran even attacked the US base in Qatar.

Iran will compete with America through drones

Iran has the Shaheed drone, which has turned the tide of the war for Russia against Ukraine. Through these martyred drones, Iran is preparing to attack America’s aircraft carriers and warships because Yemen’s Houthi rebels had used the same drones against America’s warships and MQ-9 Predator drones.

With the sound of war, the Russian Navy has reached Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port today to stop America from war. At the same time, England has banned America from using its military bases to attack Iran. Last year, the US attacked Iran from the Diego Garcia base in England in the Indian Ocean. It is clear that if there is a war, America will have less countries to support it except Israel, whereas Russia is already standing for Iran and China can also help indirectly.

An atmosphere of tension has once again arisen in the Middle East regarding the possibility of an American military attack on Iran. On one hand, there were talks regarding nuclear talks between the delegations of the two countries in Geneva on Tuesday (17 February 2026), while on the other hand, America is increasing the presence of its Air Force and Navy power in the Middle East. Within the last 24 hours, America has sent more than 50 fighter jets near Iran’s territory, due to which sounds of another war are being heard.

Trump is preparing for a big war in the Middle East

Before the start of the second round of nuclear talks, US President Donald Trump had warned Iran of facing the consequences. After this, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also talked about giving a befitting reply to America. According to the report of American news website Axios, the Trump administration is preparing for a major war in the Middle East. This war will be bigger than most Americans can even imagine.

The report quoted sources and claimed that the US military operation in Iran could last for several weeks. America and Israel will jointly carry out this operation, which will create a more dangerous situation for the Iranian government. Last year, America had attacked to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, but this time the attack will have a deep impact on the entire region. There is no significant public discussion on American military intervention in the Middle East between the US Parliament and the people there.

Trump wants compromise: JD Vance

By using so much military power in the Middle East, Trump has increased the fear that if the nuclear deal is not reached, America will carry out a major operation in the region. At present, there seems to be little possibility of an agreement between the two countries. Trump advisors Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met for three hours with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on Tuesday. Although both sides said that progress was made in the talks, differences still remain very deep.

US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that in some ways there were good talks between the two countries, but on many issues it was clear that President Trump had set some limits on which Iran would never be ready to talk. However, JD Vance also said that Trump wants a compromise.

The war will start in the next few weeks

According to sources, war between Iran and America may start soon. More than 150 US military cargo planes have delivered weapons and ammunition to the Middle East. About 50 fighter jets have also been sent to the Middle East, which includes F-35, F-22 and F-16. Senator Lindsey Graham said that the attack could still take several weeks, but other experts say that the attack could happen even earlier. A Trump advisor said, ‘I think there is a 90 percent chance of military action against Iran in the next few weeks.