Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the wife of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died after reportedly sustaining serious injuries during the US–Israeli strikes. On Monday, Iran’s state media outlet, Press TV, reported that she had "attained martyrdom" following attacks on Iran. However, an official confirmation from the Iranian authorities is still awaited.
The news of her death comes after the killing of Khamenei, 86, in the attacks executed by the US and Israel on Saturday.
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Who was Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh?
Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh was born into a distinguished religious family in Mashhad, which is reportedly the second-largest city in Iran. Her father, Mohammad Esmaeil Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, was a prominent businessman in the area, and her brother, Hassan Khojaste Bagherzadeh, held the position of deputy director at Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.
She first encountered Ali Khamenei in 1964 during a private event. The couple got married in 1965, with their sermon reportedly delivered by the esteemed cleric Mohammad Hadi Milani.
{{/usCountry}}She first encountered Ali Khamenei in 1964 during a private event. The couple got married in 1965, with their sermon reportedly delivered by the esteemed cleric Mohammad Hadi Milani.
{{/usCountry}}Even though she was married to one of the most influential persons in the Islamic Republic, Bagherzadeh kept a remarkably discreet public presence. She rarely participated in official functions and primarily avoided political matters, concentrating instead on her family and religious obligations.
Bagherzadeh and Khamenei had six children - four sons and two daughters:
Daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter Khamenei killed in strikes
According to Iran's Fars News Agency, multiple members of Khamenei's close family died in the attacks that commenced on Saturday morning. The daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter of Khamenei were killed, according to the Fars News Agency on Sunday, which cited sources affiliated with the leader's office.
The daughter-in-law has been recognized as Zahra Haddad Adel, the spouse of Mojtaba Khamenei. However, the identities of the remaining deceased family members have not been officially confirmed.
Iran's Minister of Defence, Aziz Nasirzadeh, along with the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Pakpour, have reportedly been killed in the strikes, according to sources cited by Reuters.
Trump hails Khamenei's death
In a statement on Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, describing it as justice for those impacted by his governance.