- By Shubham Bajpai
- Sun, 01 Mar 2026 09:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in a joint strike by Israel and the United States on Saturday, a development confirmed by the Iranian authorities after US President Donald Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's claim.
The Israel-US strikes have led to a fresh escalatory spiral across the Middle East. Long before succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, he had survived an assassination attempt which left his right hand paralysed. The injury left a mark on his life as he emerged as a cleric who survived one of the most violent chapters of the Islamic Republic's formative years.
Since then, he always kept his tight hand beneath his cloak, which became his signature posture in all images for 44 years.
Assassination attempt
Khamenei went to the Abuzar mosque in Iran after returning from the frontline in the Iraq-Iran war on June 27, 1981. Back then, he was Khomeini's representative at the Supreme Council of National Defence.
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After the prayers, he was responding to the questions of his followers.
During the interaction, a man described as "a young man of medium height, curly hair, beard and chequered coat" approached him and put a tape recorder in front of him.
The assailant then pressed a button. After about a minute, a whistling sound was heard, followed by a loud explosion.
The clerics at the site later said that the recorder was ripped apart into two parts with "The gift of Forqan Group to the Islamic Republic" written on the inner wall.
Khamenei suffered severe vocal cord, arm, lung, and chest injuries> It took months for him to recover from the injuries.
Khamenei emerged strong
Khamenei's website claims that the assassination was planned by the Mojahedin-e Khalq of the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran, while the perpetrator was identified as a man named Amir Khan Zade.
Although he recovered, his right hand was paralysed forever. Speaking about his hand, Khamenei had said, "I won't need the hand. It would suffice if my brain and tongue work," according to a report by The Guardian.
Khamenei was not demoralised by the incident but emerged strong as he learnt to write with his left hand and soon climbed the ladder of leadership to become a part of the inner ring of the Islamic Republic and eventually one of the longest-serving rulers of the world.