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BBC World Service. This is Owen Bennett Jones with NewsHour and in the program today,

the continuing conflict in the Middle East and the impacts on Iran, Israel and the Gulf.

Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Hamenei, his leadership of Iran, Israel and the Gulf. Ayatollah Ali Hosseini-Kamenei, his leadership of Iran, was defined by resisting the US and

Israel abroad and crushing dissent at home. For 36 years, he was the supreme leader,

a religious authority with worldly power.

But today, as dawn broke in Tehran, Iranian state media confirmed he was dead, killed in his office, in the first of the U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Juryaulah allie of the amnihnyet of this region, and the right. So this was the announcer he broke down in tears. as he told the nation that the country's leader,

as he put it, had drunk the sweet, pure draft of martyrdom.

Vism Allah, Rahman, Rahim.

Rooh, bold, the people of the big of Iran,

and a zadhihani, chahun, and the Islami. The The announcement of the Ayahtala's death led to two very different reactions in Iran.

There are social media clips that show people chanting slogans about freedom, dancing and waving flags.

One video verified by the BBC filmed in the west of Tehran

shows people cheering and whistling from their windows and balconies.

Other Iranians reacted very differently, gathering in Tehran,

holding portraits of the Ayatollah in the air,

and waving Iranian flags, chanting his name. My Sayyid Ali aliyahmane, mahe tamamahs, Sayyad Ali Khan-Mahenei.

The wishouts of, you killed my imam, you killed my imam and death to America.

Well, Hamid Reza Kholam Zeday is director of Diplow House, a pro-government think tank on Iranian foreign policy, he'd been at a rally

to mourn the Ayatollah and told News hours Paul Henley about it.

I'm actually just back from the massive rally mourning for the martyrdom of the supreme

...