Pezeshkian: Assassination of Khamenei is an ‘open declaration of war’

TEHRAN: Masoud Pezeshkian has described the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by the United States and Israel as an “open declaration of war against Muslims, especially Shiites around the world.” In a message released Sunday, Pezeshkian stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran considers seeking revenge against those responsible for what he called a “historic crime” as its legitimate right and duty. “Iran will act with all its strength to fulfill this responsibility,” he added. Khamenei lost his life in strikes carried out on Saturday by the United States and Israel on his residence in Tehran. The Iranian government officially confirmed his death earlier Sunday. Earlier, Donald Trump had also announced Khamenei’s killing. The attacks reportedly also claimed the lives of several members of Khamenei’s family and senior Iranian officials, including the defense minister, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the chief of the armed forces’ general staff, and the secretary of Iran’s defense council.