United News of Bangladesh

Iran's foreign minister says a new supreme leader will be chosen in 'one or two days.' Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian says new leadership council 'has begun its work' after killing of supreme leader. The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after almost 37 years in power raises paramount questions about Iran's future. Khamenei’s death: Who will be Iran’s next supreme leader? The contours of a complex succession process began to take shape the morning after Khamenei's killing in an airstrike campaign by the United States and Israel.

Police in Israel say the death toll from a strike in the country’s central region has climbed to five. The Magen David Adom emergency service earlier reported four fatalities from Sunday’s attack and said search operations were continuing for possible additional victims. Iran has fired dozens of rockets toward Israel since the United States and Israel launched a surprise assault on Iranian targets on Saturday, sharply escalating the conflict. Meanwhile, explosions shook Tehran on Sunday as Israel warned it would carry out sustained strikes against Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure. The blasts sent large plumes of smoke into the air near key government and security sites. In Israel, loud explosions were heard in and around Tel Aviv as missiles were intercepted or struck the ground. The conflict intensified following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the U.S.-Israeli operation. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against retaliation, saying any response would trigger overwhelming force. Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf accused the attackers of crossing a “red line” and vowed severe retaliation. Iran has since launched missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. forces, while Israel said it would maintain continuous air operations against Iranian targets. The widening air war has disrupted flights across the Middle East and raised fears of market volatility, particularly if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is affected. About one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passes through the waterway. Iran announced it had formed an interim governing council as the country prepares to select a new supreme leader. Iranian officials told the United Nations that hundreds of civilians were killed or wounded in the strikes. In southern Iran, authorities reported heavy casualties after a girls’ school was hit, though Israeli and U.S. officials said they were investigating those claims. Regional tensions have spilled beyond Israel and Iran, with reported clashes at diplomatic sites and drone or missile interceptions across several countries, underscoring fears of a broader Middle East war.

The death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after almost 37 years in power raises paramount questions about the country's future. The contours of a complex succession process began to take shape the morning after Khamenei's assassination. Here is what to know: A temporary leadership council assumes duties As outlined in its constitution, Iran on Sunday formed a council to assume leadership duties and govern the country. The council is made up of Iran’s sitting president, the head of the country’s judiciary and a member of the Guardian Council chosen by Iran’s Expediency Council, which advises the supreme leader and settles disputes with parliament. Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-line judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei are its members who will step in and “temporarily assume all the duties of leadership.” A panel of clerics selects a new supreme leader Though the leadership council will govern in the interim, an 88-member panel called the Assembly of Experts “must, as soon as possible” pick a new supreme leader under Iranian law. The panel consists entirely of Shiite clerics who are popularly elected every eight years and whose candidacies are approved by the Guardian Council, Iran’s constitutional watchdog. That body is known for disqualifying candidates in various elections in Iran and the Assembly of Experts is no different. The Guardian Council barred former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate whose administration struck the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, from election for the Assembly of Experts in March 2024. Khamenei's son could be a possible contender Clerical deliberations about succession and machinations over it take place far from the public eye, making it hard to gauge who may be a top contender. Previously, it was thought Khamenei's protégé, hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, may try to take the mantle. However, he was killed in a May 2024 helicopter crash. That has left one of Khamenei's sons, Mojtaba, a 56-year-old Shiite cleric, as a potential candidate, though he has never held government office. But a father-to-son transfer in the case of a supreme leader could spark anger, not only among Iranians already critical of clerical rule, but also among supporters of the system. Some may see it as un-Islamic and in line with creating a new, religious dynasty after the 1979 collapse of the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's government. A transition like this has happened only once before There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of supreme leader of Iran, the paramount decision-maker since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution. In 1989, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died at age 86 after being the figurehead of the revolution and leading Iran through its bloody eight-year war with Iraq. This transition now comes after Israel launched a 12-day war against Iran in June 2025 as well. The vast powers of a supreme leader The supreme leader is at the heart of Iran’s complex power-sharing Shiite theocracy and has final say over all matters of state. He also serves as the commander-in-chief of the country's military and the powerful Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force that the United States designated a terrorist organization in 2019 and which Khamenei empowered during his rule. The Guard, which has led the self-described “Axis of Resistance,” a series of militant groups and allies across the Middle East meant to counter the U.S. and Israel, also has extensive wealth and holdings in Iran.

Several airports across the Middle East remained shut on Sunday as tensions between Israel, the United States, and Iran entered their second day. Emirates Airlines has suspended all flights to and from Dubai at least until Sunday afternoon, while Qatar’s airport will remain closed until at least Monday morning, according to Qatar Airways. Israeli airspace also continues to be closed. The disruptions have left tens of thousands of passengers stranded worldwide.

Iran launched missiles at targets in Israel and Gulf Arab states on Sunday following its vow of massive retaliation after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike. Iran confirmed Khamenei’s death in the strike on his Tehran office Saturday, an event that raises uncertainty over the future of the Islamic Republic and heightens the risk of regional instability. The 86-year-old’s death “showed that he consistently stood among the people and at the forefront of his responsibilities, confronting what officials call global arrogance,” Iranian state TV said. Trump described the killing as giving Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country. “Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump wrote in a social media post. Iran’s Cabinet vowed the “great crime will never go unanswered,” while the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened its “most intense offensive operation” ever, targeting U.S. and Israeli bases. “You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said in a televised address Sunday. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg.” “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,” Trump responded on social media. “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” Iran’s top Revolutionary Guard commander, senior security adviser killed in US-Israeli strikes Iran retaliates Following the initial airstrikes, Iran launched missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar. The Israeli military said dozens of Iranian missiles were fired at Israel, many intercepted. Magen David Adom reported that a woman in the Tel Aviv area died after being wounded in the attack. Air traffic across the Middle East was disrupted as explosions and air defense fire continued over Dubai into Sunday morning. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck the UAE capital, killing one person, while debris from interceptions caused fires at the city’s main port and on the facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel. The U.S.-Israel strike marks a major escalation in American military intervention, with potential for retaliatory violence and wider conflict. It represents a significant demonstration of force by a U.S. president who campaigned on “America First” and promised to avoid “forever wars.” Khamenei’s death, the second strike on Iran under Trump’s second term, creates a leadership vacuum, as no known successor has been publicly designated. He had the final authority over all major policies and led both Iran’s clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guard. “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” Trump said. Iran quickly formed a council to govern until a new supreme leader is chosen. State media reported the deaths of the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and a top security adviser to Khamenei in the airstrikes. Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour succeeded the Guard’s previous commander, killed by Israel last June. Adviser Ali Shamkhani was a key figure in Iran’s security establishment, IRNA reported. Iran warns ‘great crime’ will not go unanswered after Khamenei killed Eyewitnesses in Tehran said some residents celebrated Khamenei’s death, cheering from rooftops and blowing whistles, while mourners raised a black flag over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. The government declared 40 days of public mourning and a seven-day nationwide holiday. Citing unidentified sources, the semi-official Fars news agency reported several relatives of Khamenei, including a daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and grandchild, were also killed. Strikes were planned for months Officials said the joint U.S.-Israel operation, planned for months, occurred Saturday during Ramadan and the start of Iran’s workweek. The strike followed stalled negotiations, with Trump framing it as necessary to prevent Iran’s nuclear program resurgence. About 12 hours after the attacks began, the U.S. military reported no American casualties and minimal damage at U.S. bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.” Targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard facilities, air defenses, missile and drone sites, and airfields. Israel reported killing the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, the defense minister, and Khamenei’s security council secretary, a close adviser. An Iranian diplomat told the U.N. Security Council that hundreds of civilians were killed or injured. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones against Israel and U.S. bases, and exchanges of fire continued into the night. Some strikes hit near Khamenei’s office. Israeli officials confirmed his death, later confirmed by Trump. Democrats criticized Trump for acting without congressional approval, though White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said leaders from both parties were briefed in advance. Tensions soar as US builds up forces Tensions escalated as the U.S. deployed the largest Middle East military force in decades. Trump insisted he sought a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program amid growing domestic unrest. Despite declaring Iran’s nuclear program destroyed last year, U.S. officials said Iran was rebuilding, developing the capability to produce high-quality centrifuges needed for enriched uranium. Iran maintained its uranium enrichment rights while attempting to prevent inspectors from visiting bombed sites. Khamenei dead in strike, Iranian media confirm Operation coordination and casualties Israel said the strike was coordinated with the U.S. Air Force pilots hit “hundreds of targets across Iran,” including military, government, and intelligence sites. Trump acknowledged possible U.S. casualties, saying, “that often happens in war,” and warned the Revolutionary Guard to surrender or face “certain death.” In southern Iran, at least 115 people were killed in a girls’ school strike, with dozens more wounded, state TV reported. IRNA cited 15 deaths in the southwest, including a sports hall, two residential areas, and a hall near a school. Regional impact The attacks could disrupt global markets, especially if Iran threatens the Strait of Hormuz, through which a third of worldwide oil passed in 2025. Saudi Arabia said it repelled Iranian attacks on its capital and eastern region. Bahrain reported a missile strike on the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters, damaging three buildings. Kuwait said a drone struck its main airport, injuring employees, and shrapnel hit Ali Al-Salem air base. Explosions were also reported in Qatar, while Jordan said it “dealt with” 49 drones and ballistic missiles.    

The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and a senior security adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed in airstrikes conducted by the United States and Israel, state media reported Sunday. The state-run IRNA news agency reported that Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, who became the Guard’s top commander after Israel killed his predecessor during the 12-day June war, was among those killed. Also killed was Ali Shamkhani, a long-standing figure in Iran’s security establishment, who had been wounded in the June conflict, IRNA said. Council formed to govern Iran after Khamenei’s killingA council has been formed to govern Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The council, enshrined in Iranian law, consists of the sitting president, the head of the judiciary, and a member of the Guardian Council selected by the Expediency Council, which advises the supreme leader and resolves disputes with parliament. Iranian reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian and hard-line judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei are members of the council. Iranian law mandates that the Assembly of Experts “must, as soon as possible,” select a new supreme leader. Debris from aerial interception sparks fire at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port Dubai authorities said debris from an aerial interception caused a fire at the city’s Jebel Ali Port, a major global transshipment hub. The Dubai Media Office stated that emergency crews responded immediately to the blaze on one of the port’s berths and worked to contain it. The sprawling Jebel Ali, located between Dubai’s two man-made palm-shaped islands, is the world’s busiest port outside East Asia. Debris from the interception also struck the Palm Jumeirah. Officials reported that debris from an intercepted drone caused a fire on the facade of the Burj Al Arab hotel. The media office also noted that Dubai International Airport was damaged and four employees were injured. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatens “most-intense offensive operation” everIran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard warned Sunday that it would launch its “most-intense offensive operation” in response to Khamenei’s death. “The most-intense offensive operation in the history of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will begin in moments, targeting (Israel) and American terrorist bases,” it said. Mourners raised a black flag over the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city and a major Shiite pilgrimage site. Global shipping firm instructs vessels in Persian Gulf to shelterA global shipping company has ordered its vessels in and bound for the Persian Gulf to seek shelter due to rising military tensions and restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. CMA CGM said on its website that it had suspended passage through the Suez Canal, a key route connecting the Red and Mediterranean seas. “Vessels will be rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope,” the company said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard promises “regret-inducing punishment”The Revolutionary Guard vowed Sunday that a “severe, decisive and regret-inducing punishment” would follow Khamenei’s death. The Guard, which answered only to Khamenei, said after state media confirmed the 86-year-old leader’s death: “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and what it called the vast popular Basij forces will powerfully continue the path of their leader in defending his legacy, standing firm against internal and external plots and delivering what it described as a lesson-giving punishment to aggressors against the Islamic homeland.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a sixth wave of attacks on US and Israeli targets in the Middle East, state media reported. The IRGC said it launched “extensive missile and drone” strikes on 27 US military bases, Israel’s Tel Nof airbase, the Israeli army’s command center at HaKirya in Tel Aviv, and a major defence industrial complex in the city. Iranian forces warned that they would “carry out a different and harsh step of revenge, with successive, regrettable slaps,” signaling more retaliatory operations.

Dubai International Airport and the iconic Burj Al Arab suffered damage during overnight Iranian missile strikes across Gulf states, aviation sources told Reuters.   One of the terminals at Dubai International Airport—typically among the world’s busiest air travel hubs—was affected in the attack. Authorities publicly described the event only as an “incident.”   According to Dubai’s media office, four people were injured at the airport. In a post on X, the office said “a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained,” without providing additional details. Source: NDTV

Iran has said that its president, the head of the judiciary and a senior jurist from the Guardian Council will jointly oversee the country’s transition period following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Under Iran’s constitution, the task of selecting a new supreme leader now falls to the Assembly of Leadership Experts, a council of clerics mandated to appoint Khamenei’s successor as quickly as possible. However, bringing its members together may be challenging due to security concerns, as Iran remains under attack from the United States and Israel, reports BBC. Khamenei himself assumed the role of supreme leader on the same day that Ruhollah Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, died.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the Islamic Republic for nearly four decades, has died at the age of 86, leaving the country facing an uncertain future with no named successor. Iranian state media confirmed his death early Sunday without providing details, hours after US President Donald Trump said Khamenei had been killed in a major new attack by US and Israeli forces and urged Iranians to overthrow the ruling theocracy. As reports of his death spread, some residents in Tehran were seen cheering from rooftops. Khamenei’s death comes after years of mounting pressure on his leadership. In one of his final demonstrations of authority, he oversaw the deadliest crackdown of his rule, aimed at crushing nationwide protests during which demonstrators openly shouted “Death to Khamenei.” Even before his compound was reportedly among the first targets of Saturday’s strikes, Khamenei had been under intense strain. Over the past year, Trump had warned that he could have killed the Iranian leader if he chose to, while also blocking an Israeli plan to do so during last summer’s 12-day war. In recent weeks, as the United States increased its military presence in the region to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme, Khamenei attempted to deter attacks, warning that any US strike would trigger a regional war. At the same time, he allowed Iran to enter negotiations with Washington over its nuclear activities. His harsh suppression of protests, which left thousands dead, underscored the depth of public anger. Years of sanctions, economic mismanagement and corruption had already severely weakened Iran’s economy. Last summer’s Israeli and US bombardment badly damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile systems and military capacity. Tehran’s regional network of allies, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, has also been weakened by Israeli and US strikes since the war in Gaza began, reducing Iran’s influence across the Middle East. Transforming the Islamic Republic When Khamenei assumed power in 1989, he faced doubts about his authority. At the time, he was a relatively low-ranking cleric and lacked the religious stature of his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Yet Khamenei ruled far longer than Khomeini and arguably left an even deeper mark on the country. He firmly entrenched clerical rule, ensuring Shiite Muslim clerics remained at the top of the political hierarchy, setting boundaries for civilian leaders, the military and the security apparatus. To hard-liners, Khamenei became the ultimate authority, second only to God. He also transformed the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard into Iran’s most powerful institution, dominant in both military affairs and internal politics. The Guard controls elite forces, oversees the ballistic missile programme and has built a vast business empire, giving it enormous influence over the economy. In return, it served as Khamenei’s most loyal enforcer. Domestic challenges The first serious challenge to Khamenei’s grip on power came from the reform movement that won control of parliament and the presidency soon after he became supreme leader. Reformists sought to strengthen the role of elected officials, a move hard-liners feared would undermine the Islamic Republic. Khamenei mobilised the clerical establishment, and unelected bodies blocked reforms and disqualified reformist candidates from elections. Since then, repeated waves of protest have been met with force. Mass demonstrations erupted in 2009 over alleged election fraud. Economic protests followed in 2017 and 2019 as sanctions tightened. In 2022, outrage flared again after the death of Mahsa Amini, who had been detained by police for allegedly not wearing her mandatory headscarf properly. Security crackdowns killed hundreds, with many more arrested amid reports of torture and sexual abuse in detention. The deadliest crackdown yet The most recent protests began in late December in Tehran’s main bazaar after the national currency, the rial, plunged to a record low of 1.42 million to the US dollar. Demonstrations quickly spread nationwide. “Rioters must be put in their place,” Khamenei declared. When hundreds of thousands marched on Jan 8 and 9, security forces opened fire, with veteran protesters saying they were shocked by the scale of force used. Activists said they had documented more than 7,000 deaths and were verifying additional cases. The government has acknowledged more than 3,000 fatalities, still exceeding previous crackdowns. Nuclear negotiations By agreeing to talks over Iran’s nuclear programme, Khamenei appeared to be seeking time to prevent US strikes. However, Tehran rejected Washington’s core demands that it stop all uranium enrichment and hand over its stockpiles. Trump initially threatened military action to halt the killing of peaceful protesters, later using the threat to push Iran into serious negotiations. While some inside Iran and within the Iranian diaspora hoped foreign military pressure might bring down Khamenei, others, including many opponents of the regime, opposed outside intervention to topple the system. No successor Under Iran’s constitution, a council of Shiite clerics is responsible for selecting the next supreme leader. Several names have circulated, including Khamenei’s son. Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, told the Associated Press that a key lesson Iran drew from last year’s war was the need to ensure regime continuity if Khamenei died. He said power could temporarily shift to a small committee of senior officials until hostilities ease. “It is possible that Khamenei has indicated a preferred successor behind closed doors,” Citrinowicz said. “However automatic implementation of a preselected successor will increase internal friction during war.” The Revolutionary Guard, now the most powerful force in Iran, could also move to assert control more openly. Such a struggle, involving the Guard and possibly the regular military, could ignite a violent power battle over the oil-rich nation of about 85 million people.