Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Sunday he was “saddened” by the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli and US strikes that hit Iran a day earlier, according to a message shared on X.
Komşumuz İran’ın Dinî Lideri Ayetullah Ali Hamaney’in dün gerçekleşen saldırılar sonucunda hayatını kaybetmesinden üzüntü duydum.
Sayın Hamaney’e Cenab-ı Allah’tan rahmet, kardeş İran halkına başsağlığı diliyor; ülkem ve milletim adına taziyelerimi iletiyorum.
İran halkıyla…
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) March 1, 2026
“I was saddened to learn of the passing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a result of the attacks that took place yesterday,” Erdoğan said, offering Turkey’s condolences to the Iranian people.
Khamenei, who led Iran for decades, was confirmed dead by Iranian state media after the strikes, which US and Israeli leaders said were aimed at crippling Iran’s military capabilities and pressuring Tehran’s leadership.
The strikes and Iran’s retaliation have fueled fears of a wider regional spillover. Turkey, which borders Iran, has urged diplomacy and has held talks with regional counterparts as the crisis unfolds.
© Agence France-Presse