Tehran: Social media platforms were flooded with sharply divided reactions after Iran confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following reported US-Israel airstrikes on his residence in Tehran.

Within minutes of the announcement by Iranian state media, hashtags related to Khamenei's death, Tehran airstrikes, and the US-Israel strike on Iran began trending across Persian-language and international platforms. Videos from several neighbourhoods in Tehran showed residents cheering from balconies, honking car horns and setting off fireworks.

Clips circulating on anti-government accounts captured groups chanting slogans including “Death to Khamenei”, while others recorded what users described as spontaneous street celebrations. Some videos appeared to show young people gathering in residential complexes and applauding as rumours of the Supreme Leader’s death spread before official confirmation.

Some citizens accessed international coverage through satellite-based internet services such as Starlink, sharing real-time reactions online. Users posted videos of vehicles sounding horns in apparent celebration during the reported Tehran airstrikes.

Conflicting online sentiment

However, the online response has not been uniformly celebratory. Alongside posts welcoming the development, many Iranians expressed anxiety, uncertainty and grief over the country’s political future.

One widely shared message read: “The war was not our choice or decision. Our hearts are filled with worry, anger, hope and confusion.” Similar posts reflected a mixture of relief at the end of Khamenei’s decades-long rule and concern about instability following foreign military action inside Iran.

Analysts monitoring Persian-language social media said the reaction highlights a deeply polarised society. While critics of the Islamic Republic framed the death as a historic turning point, others warned of potential chaos, retaliation and economic disruption.

Digital space becomes battleground

The online sphere has become a central arena in the unfolding Iran crisis. Supporters of the government condemned what they described as foreign aggression and criticised celebratory posts as insensitive during a moment of national shock. Meanwhile, opposition accounts amplified footage of fireworks and chants, portraying them as evidence of public dissent.

As global attention remains fixed on Tehran, the social media reaction underscores the powerful role of digital platforms in shaping narratives around the US-Israel airstrikes, the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and the future of Iran’s political system.

With succession proceedings expected to begin under Iran’s constitutional framework, both domestic and international observers continue to track online discourse for signs of broader public mobilisation or unrest.