The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US–Israeli strikes has drawn strong reactions from both Russia and China, with leaders in Moscow and Beijing sharply criticising the move and urging an immediate halt to military operations.
Khamenei, 86, was killed in a major aerial assault on Iranian military and government sites.
His death has pushed the region into fresh instability, with Iran launching retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf.
Putin calls killing ‘cynical violation’ of law
Russian President Vladimir Putin described the assassination as “a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law”, as per news agency AFP.
In a letter published by the Kremlin and addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin expressed his “deepest condolences for the assassination of” Khamenei. He said the Iranian leader “will be remembered as an outstanding statesman who made an enormous personal contribution to the development of friendly Russian-Iranian relations”.
Putin also asked Pezeshkian to “convey my most sincere sympathy and support to the relatives and loved ones of the Supreme Leader, to the government and to the entire people of Iran”.
Russia had earlier condemned the US–Israeli strikes as a “dangerous adventure” that could trigger a regional “catastrophe”.
Moscow had previously called for restraint in the run-up to the attacks.
On Saturday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The Russian foreign ministry stressed that the conversation was held “at the initiative of the Iranian side”.
Russia and Iran have strengthened ties in recent years, especially after Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine. In 2025, the two countries signed a strategic partnership treaty aimed at deepening cooperation, including in military matters.
China says killing ‘unacceptable’
China also issued a strong condemnation. According to AFP, Beijing said the killing was “a serious violation of Iran's sovereignty and security, a trampling on the aims and principles of the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations”.
“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this,” the foreign ministry said, calling for an “immediate halting of military operations”.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi spoke by phone with Sergei Lavrov, in a call initiated by the Russian side, Chinese state media reported.
During the conversation, Wang said the “blatant killing of a sovereign leader and the incitement of regime change” by the United States and Israel was “unacceptable”, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.
He added that China was “highly concerned” the Middle East could be pushed into a “dangerous abyss”. Wang also warned that attacking a sovereign state without UN Security Council authorisation undermines the global order established after the Second World War.
“The international community must send a definite and clear message opposing the world’s regression to the law of the jungle,” he said.
Evacuation advisory for Chinese citizens
Amid rising tensions, Beijing has urged its citizens in Iran to leave the country “as soon as possible”.
Repeating the call on Sunday, the foreign ministry said Chinese passport holders could exit Iran through visa-free land routes into Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.
The warning reflects growing fears that the conflict could widen further after Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel, US military installations and Gulf states, according to news agency AP.
Wider global concern
The killing has sparked alarm beyond Moscow and Beijing. Pope Leo XIV called for an end to the “spiral of violence” and urged all parties to act with “moral responsibility” before the situation becomes “an irreparable chasm”.
“Stability and peace are not built through mutual threats or with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through reasonable, genuine, and responsible dialogue,” the Pope said during his Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square.
Meanwhile, the United States has defended the operation. President Donald Trump said the strikes gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country and warned Tehran against escalating attacks further.
The strong language from Moscow and Beijing portrays a widening geopolitical divide. Both Russia and China have closer ties with Iran and have frequently criticised US and Israeli actions in the region.
With Russia and Iran bound by a recent strategic treaty and China warning against “regime change”, the reactions show that the killing of Khamenei is not only a regional issue but one with global diplomatic consequences.