As news broke Saturday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed during Operation Epic Fury, one of the regime’s most outspoken critics responded not with caution, but with visible, unrestrained emotion.
Journalist and activist Masih Alinejad took to the streets of New York City, celebrating what she described as a long-awaited moment of justice. President Donald Trump confirmed Khamenei’s death earlier that afternoon in a Truth Social post, hours after announcing the launch of the joint U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran.
In a video shared to X, Alinejad appeared overwhelmed. “Every morning I wake up reading that my people are being killed by Ali Khamenei, but this is the first morning in my life that I get the good news,” she said, repeating that she wanted to “run and shout out of joy.” The emotion in her voice reflected decades of opposition to the regime that has ruled Iran since 1979.
Alinejad’s reaction carries particular weight given her own history as a target of Tehran. In January 2023, three men were indicted in connection with a plot to assassinate her. That case followed earlier charges from the U.S. Justice Department alleging that an Iranian intelligence network had planned to kidnap her from American soil and forcibly return her to Iran, where she would face execution. Then-Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Alinejad had been targeted for publicizing human rights abuses, discrimination against women, and suppression of democratic freedoms in Iran.
Finally, you’re dead finally, you’re gone @khamenei_ir
💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻🌻🌻🌻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 pic.twitter.com/6TYJ7Mps3B— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) February 28, 2026
Shortly after sharing her celebration video, Alinejad appeared on CBS News, where anchor Major Garrett relayed remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that Khamenei was “no longer.” When Garrett posed the update, Alinejad placed her hand on her chest and asked, “Khamenei’s dead?”
“If he’s really dead, this is a day of celebration,” she responded. Drawing a comparison to the U.S. reaction following the killing of Osama bin Laden, Alinejad urged viewers not to mourn. “Removing a terrorist is not tragedy. It’s a sign of justice,” she said, referencing victims of the Iranian regime and naming individuals she says were killed under Khamenei’s authority.
Alinejad has long criticized U.S. administrations, including the Biden administration, for what she viewed as diplomatic leniency toward Iranian leaders. Her activism, particularly around women’s rights and compulsory hijab laws, has made her both a prominent voice in the Iranian diaspora and a repeated target of threats.
As images of her embracing supporters on New York streets circulated online, her reaction symbolized the broader divide surrounding Khamenei’s death. For critics of the Islamic Republic, the moment represents accountability after decades of repression. For others, it signals uncertainty about what follows.
