The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an attack by the United States and Israel has sparked sharp reactions around the world as leaders warn of escalation and regional instability.
Iran announced it had launched retaliatory attacks against Israeli and US assets in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman.
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Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said it had launched attacks on 27 bases in the Middle East housing U.S. forces and vowed retaliation.
Several countries in the region have closed their airspace as exchanges of attacks intensify.
Foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are scheduled to hold an emergency meeting via video conference on Sunday to discuss the Iran crisis, Gulf sources told Al Jazeera.
Top diplomats from the European Union’s 27 member states are also holding emergency talks after a U.N. Security Council meeting late Saturday.
Here’s how some countries, international organizations and prominent organizations reacted to Khamenei’s killing.
Iran
President Massoud Pezeshkian on Sunday described Saturday’s killing of the supreme leader as “an open declaration of war against Muslims, especially Shiites.”
“This tragic event is the greatest challenge facing the Islamic world today,” he said in a message of condolence.
Israel
Defense Minister Israel Katz congratulated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the military for the airstrike that killed Khamenei.
“Those who acted to destroy Israel have been destroyed,” Katz said in a post on X. “Justice has been served and the axis of evil has been dealt a fatal blow.”
He added that Israel “continues to act with all its might.”
US
“One of the most evil figures in history, Ayatollah Khamenei, is dead,” President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform, warning Iran not to retaliate any further.
“Iran just said today that it’s going to carry out a much tougher attack than we’ve ever had before,” Trump said. “But they better not do that. If they do, we will attack them with a force never seen before!”
Russia
President Vladimir Putin described Khamenei’s killing as a “cynical murder” that violated “all standards of human morality and international law.”
“We would like to express our deepest condolences in connection with the assassination of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sheed Ali Khamenei, and his family,” a message to Mr. Pezeshkian posted on the Kremlin’s website said.
Putin added that in Russia, Khamenei “will be remembered as an outstanding statesman who personally made a significant contribution to the development of friendly relations between Russia and Iran and raised the two countries to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership.”
China
The Chinese government said it “strongly condemns” the killing.
The ministry called the attack “a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security, and an act that violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the basic norms of international relations.”
China’s Foreign Ministry stated, “China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the move,” and called for an “immediate halt to military operations.”
european union
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Karas described Khamenei’s death as a “defining moment in Iran’s history.”
“What happens next is uncertain. But the path is open to a different Iran, one in which its people may be more free to shape,” she told X.
“I am in touch with our partners, including countries in the region bearing the brunt of Iran’s military actions, to find practical steps to de-escalate tensions.”
England
Defense Secretary John Healey said his top priority was protecting British military personnel and civilians from “indiscriminate attacks” by Iran.
Mr Healy told the BBC that “no one will mourn” Khamenei’s death.
Hamas
Hamas said it mourned Khamenei’s death and described the attack that killed Khamenei as a “heinous” attack by the United States and Israel.
“He provided all forms of political, diplomatic and military support to our people, cause and resistance,” the Palestinian organization said in a statement.
It added that the United States and Israel “take full responsibility for this blatant invasion and heinous crime against the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and its grave implications for regional security and stability.”
Hamas also said Arab and Islamic countries have a “political, legal and historical responsibility to take immediate and decisive action.”
Yemen’s Houthis
The Houthi political leadership expressed its “heartfelt condolences and deep sympathies” to the Iranian people.
“This heinous crime is a clear violation of all international laws and norms, and represents the continuation of unjustified attacks against the Islamic State,” the statement said.
north korea
North Korea condemned the U.S. and Israeli attacks as “an act of illegal aggression.”
According to state media, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the attack was “a completely illegal act of aggression and essentially a violation of sovereignty in its most despicable form.”
North Korea accused the United States and its allies of “shameless and gangster-like behavior” and abusing military power to realize “selfish and hegemonic ambitions.”
