Von der Leyen: Khamenei’s death gives Iranian people “hope”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X that the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has given the Iranian people “hope.”

“We must ensure that the future is theirs to claim and shape. At the same time, this moment carries a real risk of instability that could push the region into a spiral of violence,” Caliber.Az quotes von der Leyen as saying on X.

She stated that they were engaging closely with all key actors, as well as with their regional partners, to safeguard stability and security and to protect civilian lives.

I just spoke with @KingAbdullahII of Jordan. We stand in full solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan following yesterday’s Iranian strikes.

With Khamenei gone, there is renewed hope for the people of Iran. We must ensure that the future is theirs to claim and shape.…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 1, 2026

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had led Iran as Supreme Leader since 1989, overseeing a theocratic system that concentrated political, military and economic power in his office and the Revolutionary Guards, and presiding over repeated crackdowns on dissent and conflict with the US and Israel.

He was killed in a joint US–Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026,, a highly unusual direct military action that marked one of the most significant escalations in Middle Eastern tensions in decades.

International reactions have been mixed: some world leaders express deep concern about regional instability and escalation risks, while others see his death as a “defining moment” that could open space for political change in Iran.

By Jeyhun Aghazada