Iranians were seen celebrating the reported death of the Iranian Supreme Leader
Iranians across several cities, including Tehran, reportedly broke into celebration following reports of the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 1, 2026.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), verified video and audio recordings captured the spontaneous celebrations. Residents were seen blaring loud music, cheered from windows, clapped, and honked car horns starting around 11:00 PM (1930 GMT).
Some social media footage showed fireworks being launched, as well as sustained whistling and cheering in various neighborhoods, according to the report from Inquirer.
While Tehran initially remained silent, United States of America (USA) President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom he labeled “one of the most evil people in history,” had been killed in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes.
According to social media, people were not yet coming out in a group or all together into the streets to celebrate, as many Iranians still felt a certain fear after the deadly crackdown on mass anti-government protests that happened last month.
Protests had started in late December due to economic grievances, including record-high inflation and currency depreciation. These reached their most intense level on January 8 and 9, 2026.
The government of Iran claimed that there was a total of 3,117 fatalities, identifying many as security personnel or “innocent” civilians killed by armed groups.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) verified that at least 7,005 deaths were recorded, and this included 214 security forces and 212 children as of mid-February 2026.
Reports have officially confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, was killed in his office on February 28, 2026, during a joint military operation by the United States and Israel.