Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei killed: Global reactions
Diplomatic Correspondent :
Global leaders have reacted strongly to the killing of Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli airstrikes, with responses ranging from condemnation and calls for restraint to celebration and continued military warnings.
Below is the international reaction to his death.
Russia
Condemning the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said killing Iran’s Supreme Leader is a ‘cynical murder’ that violates ‘all standards of human morality and international law’.
Meanwhile, in a statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have urged US and Iran to resume talks.
Bangladesh
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman has taken updates on the condition of Bangladeshi expatriates in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries amid the ongoing war in the region.
The premier inquired about the Bangladeshi nationals in the Middle East when Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman met him at the Secretariat on Sunday.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir was also present at the meeting.
“The Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs met the Prime Minister this morning.
During this meeting, in the wake of events in Iran, the Prime Minister inquired about the condition of Bangladeshis in Middle Eastern countries and gave necessary directives,” said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman.
China
China’s ministry of foreign affairs has expressed concern over US-Israeli strikes against Iran and called for an immediate ceasefire, urging all sides to avoid escalation and to resume dialogue and negotiation.
In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected.
On Sunday, China’s embassy in Israel issued a notice advising Chinese citizens in Israel to evacuate to safer areas within the country as soon as possible or to leave for Egypt via the Taba border crossing.
US
US President Donald Trump on Saturday celebrated US-Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s leader, but warned attacks would continue.
The strikes, which Trump said were aimed at destroying Iranian missiles and annihilating its navy, follow repeated US-Israeli warnings that they would strike Iran again if it pressed ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Trump, who is monitoring the operation from his Mar-a-Lago oceanfront resort in Florida, posted on Saturday afternoon that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had died in the strikes.
A senior Israeli official earlier told Reuters that Khamenei’s body had been found, and Trump concurred in a post on Truth Social.
European nations
Some European nations are urging a return to negotiations, but most of Trump’s fellow Republicans in Congress — and a few Democrats such as Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania cheered Saturday’s strikes.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and frequent advocate for an aggressive US foreign policy, criticized European calls for further talks.
North Korea
North Korea condemned the US and Israeli strikes as an “illegal act of aggression”.
The attacks “constitute a thoroughly illegal act of aggression and the most vile form of violation of sovereignty in their nature”, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said, according to state media.
Pyongyang accused Washington and its ally of “shameless and gangster-like conduct” and of abusing military force to fulfil “selfish and hegemonic ambitions”.
