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Who was Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh? Ayatollah Khamenei's wife ‘attained martyrdom’ amid US-Israel attacks

Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, wife of Iran's Khamenei, has died from injuries sustained during US-Israeli strikes, per Iran’s state media outlet, Press TV.

Updated on: Mar 02, 2026 7:41 PM IST
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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.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, has reportedly died from her injuries sustained during the recent attack on Iran. (X@usmann_01)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, has reportedly died from her injuries sustained during the recent attack on Iran. (X@usmann_01)

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.

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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.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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