On Saturday night, countless jubilant Iranians across various U.S. cities took to the streets after President Donald Trump announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed in airstrikes.
The celebrations unfolded in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., as well as in Iranian-American neighborhoods nationwide. Expatriates waved both Iranian and American flags, played music, and cheered as the news of Khamenei’s reported death spread.
Video footage captured in downtown Washington, D.C., depicted a spontaneous street party where demonstrators gathered near the White House to celebrate.
Independent journalist Raheem J. Kassam shared a video on social media platform X, capturing the festive mood as numerous Iranian expatriates gathered near the White House.
“It’s unbelievable in downtown D.C. right now, with hundreds of Persians flocking to the White House to celebrate the fall of the Iranian Islamic regime,” Kassam commented.
His videos displayed a crowd waving flags while ‘YMCA,’ a song famously associated with Donald Trump’s campaign rallies, played over loudspeakers.
Some of the largest gatherings were reported in Los Angeles – home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran – where crowds waved Iranian and American flags and celebrated in what appeared to be spontaneous street parties.
Demonstrators waved pre-revolution Iranian flags and chanted anti-regime slogans as news of Khamenei’s reported death spread.
Social media videos showed crowds celebrating late into the evening in several US cities as the announcement circulated online.
Many demonstrators described the moment as historic and expressed hope that the end of Khamenei’s rule could mark a turning point for Iran after decades of authoritarian rule.
Members of the Iranian community and supporters celebrate on February 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California as President Donald Trump announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in airstrikes
A man holds a sign reading ‘Khamenei is dead’ as people wave Iranian pre-1979 Islamic Revolution flags during a rally expressing support for US and Israeli military action against Iran’s Islamic Republic government on February 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia
In New York City, however, protests broke out as demonstrators condemned the strikes and warned the killing could escalate tensions in the region.
Videos posted online showed crowds chanting and holding signs criticizing US and Israeli military action.
In a post on Truth Social, US President Trump said: ‘Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS.
‘He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.’
The gathering followed proactive claims from multiple Israeli officials that Khamenei had been killed during joint US–Israeli airstrikes on Tehran earlier in the day.
A person holds a photo of Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah of Iran, next to another holding a toy mouse with a sign reading ‘dead mouse’ as members of the Iranian community celebrate in front of the Federal Building in the West LA neighborhood of Los Angeles, on February 28, 2026
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, Donald Trump confirmed on Truth Social
The Ayatollah’s palace was destroyed by missiles as part of the US-Israeli military operation
His body was reportedly found beneath the rubble of his compound following the strikes, according to defense officials cited by news agencies.
Israeli media outlets reported that both Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were shown a photograph said to depict Khamenei’s body.
‘A photo of the body was shown to Netanyahu and Trump,’ Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
Public broadcaster Kan similarly reported that senior Israeli officials had been informed of Khamenei’s death and that his body had been recovered from the wreckage of the compound.
There has been no confirmation from Iranian authorities, and Tehran has denied that the Supreme Leader was killed.
In a televised address Saturday evening, Netanyahu said Israeli airstrikes had destroyed Khamenei’s compound and suggested the Iranian leader was dead.
‘All indications show this tyrant is no longer with us,’ he said.
The reported killing marks a dramatic escalation in tensions following the joint US-Israel strikes on targets in Tehran earlier Saturday.
Iran launched retaliatory attacks across the Middle East in response.
At least four people were injured after an Iranian missile strike hit the five-star Fairmont hotel on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, according to local reports.
Dramatic footage showed the exterior of the Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel burning after it was reportedly struck by a high-speed Shahed drone.
Iran was historically known in the West as Persia, a name derived from the ancient Persian Empire.
The country formally adopted the name Iran for international use in 1935 under ruler Reza Shah.
Today, Iran refers to the modern nation-state, while Persian commonly describes the language, culture and largest ethnic group in the country.
Members of the Iranian community often refer to themselves as Persian, particularly at cultural or political gatherings abroad.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989 and is the country’s highest political and religious authority.
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House and the Israeli government for comment.
