TEHRAN – Sunni religious leaders across Iran have condemned the U.S.-Israeli attack that led to the martyrdom of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, as well as the strike on Shajareh-ol-Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab that killed 171 female students.

Their statements reflected a broad show of solidarity among Iran’s religious communities, with both Sunni and Shia scholars expressing grief and condemning the attacks.

In Golestan province in northern Iran, nearly 1,000 Sunni scholars and clerics released a statement mourning the late Leader.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the great nation of Iran and the Muslim Ummah on the martyrdom of the wise Imam, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (may Allah have mercy on him),” the statement said. “Although this bitter event has saddened the hearts of Muslims and our nation, it has also lit a guiding flame for the continuation of the path of patience, resistance, and steadfastness.”

The clerics said the assassination would not weaken Iran but would instead strengthen the resolve of its people.

“Let our enemies know that with the martyrdom of our beloved Leader, the iron will of the Iranian people will not falter; rather, like an unshakable mountain, we will remain true to our pledges and principles,” the statement continued. “Sacred unity, patience, and resilience are our weapons, and carrying forward the path of the martyrs is our duty.”

They also stressed that such attacks would only deepen faith and unity among Muslims.

“The enemies of Islam, through such ignorant acts, will not achieve their goals,” the scholars said. “Instead, they will strengthen the faith and awareness of Muslims and their connection to the Qur’an, the ideals of the Islamic Republic, and the vision of the martyred Leader.”

The statement, signed by 945 Sunni scholars and clerics, also pledged to safeguard Ayatollah Khamenei’s ideas and to promote unity among Iran’s ethnic and religious communities.

In Kurdistan province, about 1,400 Sunni clerics and imams issued a similar condemnation. In their statement, they said the Iranian nation had once again witnessed the “true face of global arrogance,” referring to the United States and Israel.

They said the two regimes had attacked Iran’s independence and dignity and shed “the blood of the Leader and the children of this nation.”

Shia clerics across Iran and the wider region also issued messages honoring Ayatollah Khamenei. Among them was Iraq’s leading Shia authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali alSistani, along with numerous prominent scholars in Iran and neighboring countries.

In the days following the assassination, several Iranian Grand Ayatollahs issued religious rulings, or fatwas, addressing the attack.

Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi was among the first to call for retaliation, identifying the United States and Israel as the “main perpetrators” of the killing and urging his followers to seek justice for the martyred leader.

Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani also declared that avenging the blood of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution was a duty for Muslims.

“Without doubt, criminal America and the bloodthirsty Zionists have reached the end of their path,” he said. “This time the powerful armed forces will deliver a decisive and unforgettable response.”

Grand Ayatollah Kamal alHaydari, based in the holy city of Qom, issued a similar declaration, describing the U.S.-Israeli strikes as a “barbaric and vicious war.” He warned that the countries responsible should not underestimate the resolve of Muslim societies to defend their faith and dignity.

In Shia Islamic thought, jihad broadly means struggle in the path of faith. It can refer to personal efforts to live according to Islamic principles as well as the defense of the community against injustice or attack. Armed struggle is viewed within that wider religious framework. The recent fatwas draw on this understanding, presenting resistance and the defense of Muslim dignity as a religious duty.

Together, the statements from Sunni and Shia clerics point to a common message, said Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Mohammad Ansari, a well-known religious figure in Iran’s Gilan province. “The killing of Ayatollah Khamenei has not divided Iran’s religious establishment. Instead, clerics across sectarian lines remain united in honoring his legacy and defending the country against outside pressure,” he states.