Baghdad: The head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Faleh Al-Fayyad, on Sunday mourned Ali Khamenei, who was killed in what he described as an aggression of a U.S.-Israeli airstrike.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, in a statement, Al-Fayyad said Khamenei died as a result of what he called a ‘Zionist-American aggression,’ describing the incident as ‘a terrorist crime and a blatant violation of international law and humanitarian norms.’

He added that the attack ‘targeted not only an individual, but also a prominent religious and political position,’ considering it an attempt to break the will of peoples and silence resistance movements.

Al-Fayyad stated that Khamenei had, for decades, been ‘a symbol of steadfastness and resilience,’ and a leader in confronting what he described as hegemonic projects, noting that he ‘remained committed to his positions until his death.’

He extended his condolences to the leadership and people of the Islamic Republic, praying for mercy upon the deceased.