The wife of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, has died after succumbing to injuries sustained during the recent U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, according to Iranian state media.
Bagherzadeh, 79, had reportedly been in a coma since Saturday’s strikes, which also claimed the life of her husband, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state broadcaster Press TV confirmed her death on Monday.
Israeli outlet The Times of Israel reported that the couple, who married in 1964, had been together for over six decades before the fatal attack.The deaths come amid one of the most dramatic escalations in Middle East tensions in recent years. Over the weekend, coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel targeted Iranian leadership and military infrastructure following weeks of rising hostilities.
President Donald Trump announced Khamenei’s death on Saturday via Truth Social, describing the Iranian leader as “one of the most evil people in history” and calling the development “justice for the people of Iran.”
Iran responded swiftly with retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, further intensifying fears of a prolonged regional conflict.Meanwhile, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Monday that the number of U.S. service members killed in action during the operation has risen to four.
In a post on X, CENTCOM stated that a fourth service member who had been critically wounded during Iran’s initial retaliation later died from their injuries.
“Major combat operations continue, and our response effort is ongoing,” the statement read.
With senior Iranian leaders killed, retaliatory strikes underway, and mounting military casualties, the conflict shows no immediate signs of slowing, leaving the region on edge and the international community closely watching further developments.
