But the killing of Mr Khamenei, who had ruled Iran for more than three decades, creates a leadership vacuum, increasing the risk of regional instability. Mr Trump, who a day earlier had encouraged Iranians to “take over” their government, signalled on Sunday that he was open to dialogue with Iran’s new leadership. As supreme leader, Mr Khamenei had final say on all major policies since 1989. A senior White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mr Trump was eventually willing to talk but that the operation would continue unabated for now. "We have very strong objectives,” Mr Trump said.

Source: Irish Examiner March 01, 2026 21:57 UTC