Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Martyrdom of the Leader of the Ummah and the Great Leader of Isla

His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Khamenei (may his sanctified soul rest in peace)

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with God. Among them are those who have fulfilled their vow, and among them are those who await, and they have never altered in the least.”

The Leader of the Ummah and the Great Leader of Islamic Iran, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Khamenei (may his sanctified soul rest in peace), attained the exalted station of martyrdom and ascended to the Highest Kingdom following the savage attacks carried out by the United States and the Zionist regime against his residence on the morning of Saturday, the tenth day of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran extends its congratulations and condolences on the martyrdom of this distinguished scholar and great leader to the luminous presence of His Holiness Imam al-Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him), to the noble people of Iran, to the Islamic Ummah, and to all freedom-loving and ethical human beings across the world.

The terrorist act perpetrated by the United States and the Zionist regime in assassinating the eminent Leader of Islamic Iran and other senior officials of the country—within the framework of military aggression against Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty—constitutes an unprecedented assault on the fundamental normative and moral principles recognized by the international community, and represents one of the gravest violations of the foundational rules of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs draws the attention of all countries to the grave reality that the unprovoked military aggression against Iran, the assassination of the nation’s leaders, and the massacre of innocent citizens constitute a most dangerous precedent in inter-state relations and a horrifying shift toward the rule of naked coercion and unrestrained force at the global level.

The Ministry underscores the responsibility of international institutions—particularly the United Nations, its Security Council, and the Secretary-General—as well as each and every Member State of the United Nations, to safeguard the principles and norms that are the product of centuries of human experience aimed at restraining power and preventing the domination of force in relations among states.

Undoubtedly, indifference and inaction in the face of the organized injustice and crimes of the United States and the Zionist regime will embolden oppressors and criminals, and their consequences will affect generations to come across the entire world. The renewed military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process—following their previous military assault last June—constitutes a continuation of the hegemonic and criminal operations these two malign actors have unleashed in West Asia, particularly over the past two and a half years through the colonial genocide of the Palestinian people and attacks against independent countries in the region.

Regrettably, the architects and executors of this sinister plot—the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of the Zionist regime—are among the most corrupt and malevolent leaders in today’s world, and the records of their moral corruption and heinous crimes, including genocide and war crimes, are evident to all.

Without doubt, the raised banner of justice, freedom-seeking, dignity, devotion to Iran, and ethical commitment upheld by the beloved and noble Leader of Iran shall never fall.

The cowardly assassination of this great leader and eminent Iranian figure will transform him into an immortal symbol in the history of Iran and Shi‘ism—one who will forever guarantee the endurance and dynamism of Iran and Islam, and inspire the pursuit of justice, freedom, and dignity among Iranians and Muslims.

The free and noble nation of Iran, placing its trust in God and drawing upon its invaluable civilizational and historical heritage, will continue the path of independence, dignity, and resistance with even greater resolve. The ill-wishers of this nation are fully aware that martyrdom is not the end of a path, but the beginning of a new stage of responsibility and historic steadfastness.