Protests erupt in Pakistan and India following the assassination of Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei, with clashes resulting in casualties as demonstrators target U.S. consulates and shout anti-U.S. slogans.
Following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, violent protests have erupted in Pakistan and India. In Karachi, Pakistan, hundreds have attacked the U.S. consulate, breaking windows and prompting police and paramilitary forces to use batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. The clashes have resulted in at least eight deaths and around 20 injuries among both protesters and security forces.
In India's Kashmir, thousands of Shia Muslims took to the streets in the largest city, Srinagar, waving red-black-yellow flags and chanting slogans against the U.S. and Israel. Similar demonstrations were reported across Kashmir and other regions of India, where large Muslim communities reside. The protests highlight the regional backlash to Khamenei's death, with demonstrators expressing anger towards perceived Western enemies.
Reports also indicate that in response to Khamenei's passing, hundreds of Iraqis attempted to breach the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, where the U.S. embassy is located. This pattern of unrest across multiple countries signals a potential escalation in tension in the region, as many seek to express solidarity with the Iranian leader and resist U.S. influence in the Middle East.
