Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is 'dead'

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is "dead."

"Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead," Trump said in a post on his social media company Truth Social.

His remarks came after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

"This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty thugs," Trump said.

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are safe, dismissing claims that they had been targeted in recent attacks.

Trump did not specify the source of his information.

"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," Trump said.

Trump added that this is "the single greatest chance" for the Iranian people to take back their country.

The president stated that US military operations, including “heavy and pinpoint bombing,” would continue “as long as necessary” to achieve broader regional security objectives.