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Who was Ayatollah Ali Khameini, the Iranian Supreme Leader killed in strikes?

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed. He was 86 years old. Khamenei was unwavering in his steadfast antipathy to the U.S. and Israel.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Jackie Northam is NPR's International Affairs Correspondent. She is a veteran journalist who has spent three decades reporting on conflict, geopolitics, and life across the globe - from the mountains of Afghanistan and the desert sands of Saudi Arabia, to the gritty prison camp at Guantanamo Bay and the pristine beauty of the Arctic.