By Uzma Ehtasham
KARACHI: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was confirmed dead following US and Israeli strikes, state media reported, as another wave of attacks struck the country on Sunday. The assassination drew swift international reactions, with nations, global bodies, and religious groups calling for restraint and de-escalation.
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, describing it as a “violation of the norms of international law.” In a post on X, he said it had long been a convention that heads of state should not be targeted and expressed concern over breaches of these international norms.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin called Khamenei’s killing a “cynical murder” that violated “all standards of human morality and international law,” offering condolences to the Supreme Leader’s family. China condemned the strikes as “a serious violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security,” insisting that the assassination breached the principles of the UN Charter and undermined basic norms of international relations.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described the attack as profoundly destabilising, warning it could push the Middle East towards sustained instability and extended condolences to the Iranian people. In Indonesia, the Ulema Muslim Clerical Council offered condolences while questioning the role of the United States in managing regional conflicts, urging reconsideration of its participation in the Board of Peace.
North Korea labelled the strikes “an illegal act of aggression” and morally reprehensible, describing them as the most egregious violation of sovereignty. Meanwhile, Iran’s president called Khamenei’s death a national disaster, warning that the perpetrators would face consequences and that the attack would bring them nothing but embarrassment.
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