EU leaders call Khamenei death defining moment, warn of regional instability

Brussels, Belgium. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a defining moment in Iran’s history, while EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned of risks of regional instability.

Kallas cites uncertainty and de-escalation efforts

Kallas said on social media platform X that what comes next is uncertain, but there is now an open path to a different Iran that its people may have greater freedom to shape. She added that she is in contact with partners, including those in the region that bear the brunt of Iran’s military actions, to find practical steps for de-escalation.

Iranian media reports Khamenei killed in strikes on Tehran compound

Khamenei was killed on Saturday, Iranian state media announced, in Israeli and U.S. air strikes that pulverised his central Tehran compound.

Von der Leyen says EU stands in solidarity with Jordan

Von der Leyen said on Sunday that she spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah and that Europe stands in full solidarity with Jordan after Iranian strikes. She said on X that with Khamenei gone, there is renewed hope for the people of Iran and that the future must be theirs to claim and shape, while warning that the moment carries a real risk of instability that could push the region into a spiral of violence.

How do you think EU leaders’ calls for de-escalation could affect the region in the coming days?