Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed by US and Israeli missile strikes on Feb. 28, the Kremlin said.
In a message published on the Kremlin’s website, Putin conveyed sympathy and support to Khamenei’s relatives, the Iranian government and the Iranian people, calling the killing a “cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
Putin said Khamenei would be remembered in Russia as an “outstanding statesman” who made a major personal contribution to strengthening Russian-Iranian relations and elevating them to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Earlier on Sunday Tehran announced what it called an unprecedented military response after acknowledging the killing of Khamenei – a move that sharply escalates tensions across the Middle East.
In a statement released shortly after Khamenei’s death was reported, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it is preparing a retaliatory strike that would “change the course of history in the region.” The IRGC warned that the operation would target not only Israeli assets but also US military infrastructure throughout the Middle East.
“This will be the most powerful offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic. We will not stop until the enemy is defeated,” the IRGC said, vowing to strike US bases in the region, including in Iraq and Syria, as well as what it called Israel’s strategic facilities and decision-making centers linked to the operation against the Iranian leader.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Tehran is rejecting any diplomatic efforts at this stage, describing Khamenei’s killing as a “grave crime” that demands a military response.
Sources cited by Al Jazeera said Iranian missile units have been placed on the highest level of combat readiness, with analysts warning the operation could involve ballistic missiles and large-scale drone attacks.
The announcement came shortly after US President Donald Trump publicly stated that Khamenei had been killed, claiming the operation was carried out with Israel’s cooperation and that several other senior Iranian figures were eliminated as well.