Top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has expressed sorrow over the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei, urging them to remain united, AFP reports.

“With deep sorrow, I extend my condolences to the noble Iranian people and all Muslims on the martyrdom” of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose “unique role in leading the Islamic Republic of Iran for many years is evident to all”, said Sistani, himself born in Iran.

“The great Iranian people are expected to maintain their unity, to stand firm and thwart the aggressors’ sinister goals,” he added in a statement.

Opinion

Editorial

Fixing bond markets
01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

THE plan to deepen the domestic local currency bond market by allowing the public to trade government securities...
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...
Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...