New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Reacting to the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a US-Israel strike, Congress MP Imran Masood said on Sunday that history would remember the Iranian cleric as a courageous figure.
Speaking to IANS, Masood said, “If we look at history, the world remembers brave people, and Khamenei will be remembered as a brave leader. He sacrificed his life for his country, and nothing is greater than one’s nation. He gave himself for his people. In future accounts, it will be written that because of a cruel and insane man, the whole world is on fire.”
Expressing personal grief, he added, “My heart is deeply saddened today; I am very hurt. Khamenei was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideologies. I want to appeal to people that, although we are saddened, we should not do anything that disturbs the peace of our nation. Some people may try to incite violence here — do not follow them. Pray for Khamenei’s peace and remain calm and peaceful.”
Masood’s remarks come amid heightened global tensions following the high-profile strike that has sent shockwaves across the Middle East and beyond.
Khamenei was reportedly killed in what has been described as an epochal joint attack by the US and Israel, marking a potential inflexion point in Iran’s 46-year Shia-theocratic rule. Tehran’s retaliation has already triggered fresh conflagrations across parts of the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump announced earlier that the 86-year-old cleric had been killed, bringing an end to his 36-year leadership over Iran. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said, “He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”
Four relatives of Khamenei, including his daughter, grandchild and son-in-law, were also killed in the US-Israeli strikes, reported Iranian state media.
–IANS
rs/dpb
