The Saturday Irony: Khamenei Once Survived An Assassination Attempt On A Saturday

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for nearly four decades, was killed in an US-Israel strike on Saturday, marking one of the most consequential moments in the Islamic Republic’s history. In a striking coincidence, Khamenei had survived an assassination attempt on a Saturday in 1981, only to die on another Saturday in 2026.

Khamenei, 86, had been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989 and remained one of the most powerful figures in West Asia. His death has set in motion succession mechanisms, a 40-day mourning period, and fresh uncertainty over Iran’s political direction.

In 1981, Khamenei was elected as the President of Iran and went on to serve two consecutive terms until 1989. That same year, he survived a bombing attempt during a public event. The attempt took place on a Saturday, a detail that has resurfaced in public memory following his death.

The 1981 Assassination Bid

While giving a speech on June 27, 1981, at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei was injured after a bomb kept on a tape recorded exploded in front of him. Khamenei, who was then a Presidential candidate, suffered damages to his arm, lungs and vocal cords. His right arm was permanently damaged in the attack.

The tape recorder was kept on a desk in front of him along with some papers. As a man pressed the play button, the recorder exploded. Later, ‘the gift of Forqan Group to Islamic republic’ was found written on the recorder. Forqan Group is a militant group in Iran.

The 2026 Assassination

After escaping the Saturday of 1981, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on another ill-fated Saturday on 28 February, 2026. He was assassinated as US-Israel airstrikes hit his residence amid ‘Operation Epic Fury’. US President Trump said Khamenei was unable to avoid US intelligence and their ”highly-sophisticated" tracking systems. His body is said to have been found in the rubbles after his residence collapsed to the ground following the airstrike.

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