Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on Saturday in a joint strike carried out by the United States and Israel. News of his death sparked protests across several Indian cities, from Lucknow and New Delhi to parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Demonstrations were reported in Srinagar, where hundreds of Kashmiri Shia Muslims marched through the streets holding his photographs, raising slogans, and voicing anger over the reported attack. Similar scenes unfolded in other parts of the country, including Lucknow and Delhi, as people gathered to express their outrage. Amid this, Bigg Boss 19 runner-up Farrhana Bhatt, who is from Kashmir, has mourned Khamenei’s death while Iranian actors Mandana Karimi and Elnaaz Norouzi welcomed the development.Farrhana Bhatt mourns Khamenei’s deathFarrhana expressed grief over the news, describing Khamenei as an unforgettable figure. Speaking to Instant Bollywood, she said, “Woh ek aisi shaksiyat hai, jinko kabhi bhulaya nahi jaa sakta. He will be alive in our hearts, and definitely Allah unki shahadat qabool kare. Kashmiri jitne bhi log hai bahot hie iss chiz jhulaz chuke hai, dil dahel chuka hai sabka (He is a personality who can never be forgotten. He will remain alive in our hearts, and may Allah definitely accept his martyrdom. Many Kashmiris have been touched by this, and it has broken their hearts).”She further added, “You will not believe sehri ke baad main bilkul soyi nahi hoon. Aaj maine namaz padhi toh I was so sad because this should not have happened. Kaafi logo ke liye woh ek messiah the. Definitely, woh hamare dil mein zinda rahenge (You won’t believe it. I haven’t slept at all after Sehri. Today, when I prayed, I was so sad because this shouldn’t have happened. For many people, he was a messiah. Definitely, he will remain alive in our hearts).”ALSO READ: ‘No one knew what’ll happen next’: Esha Gupta returns to India, recalls chilling hours stranded at Abu Dhabi airport amid missile strikesMandana Karimi praises US-Israel actionIranian actor Mandana Karimi praised the US-Israel strike on Iran and appreciated US President Donald Trump even comparing him to the ancient Persian ruler Cyrus the Great.Sharing Trump’s image on Instagram Stories, Mandana wrote, “Dear Mr President, Iranian people will remember you the way Israel remembers Cyrus the Great.”Cyrus II, known as Cyrus the Great, ruled Persia in the 6th century BC and established what was then the largest empire in the world, spanning parts of Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. He is revered in Jewish history for freeing the Jewish community from Babylonian captivity.Story continues below this adBorn in Tehran, Mandana Karimi began her career as an air hostess before moving to Mumbai in 2010 for modelling. She appeared in films such as Roy, Bhaag Johnny and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, and participated in reality shows including Bigg Boss 9 and Lock Upp.Elnaaz Norouzi supports US-Israel-led strikeActor Elnaaz Norouzi also supported the US-Israel-led strike on Iran, but clarified that her opposition lies with the regime — not Iran as a nation or its people.In an interview with Bombay Times, she said, “When we speak about Iran, I would like to differentiate between the Islamic Republic, which has occupied the country and the people of Iran. The majority of the Iranian people are smart and educated, and their beliefs are not the same as those of the Islamic Republic. At one point, Iran had a great relationship with Israel. If you see Cyrus the Great, the man who wrote the first human rights in the world ever, he was Persian, and he freed the Jews from Babylon. We even had a great relationship with the USA during the time of Shah (Mohammad Reza Pahlavi). It is just the Islamic Republic that is constantly saying that it wants to wipe Israel off the map. A month ago, many Iranians who protested against this regime were killed.”Elnaaz, born in Iran in the early 1990s, moved to Germany with her family at the age of eight before eventually building a career in India. She has not returned to Iran in over a decade — and says she cannot.Story continues below this adShe stated, “I can’t set foot in Iran. If I do, I think they will kill me. I couldn’t go to Iran because of what happened during the 2022 movement, where they killed Mahsa Amini (a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman), whose death in police custody in September 2022, ignited widespread protests. Arrested by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab improperly, her death became a symbol of resistance against oppression. Back then, I spoke out against Khamenei and the regime, and my family got really worried for my safety. If people die in this war, I’m going to blame the Ayatollah because people have come out multiple times saying we do not want you, and they did not leave. It is a dictatorship.”Elnaaz Norouzi began her acting journey in a Pakistani film in 2017 before appearing in the two seasons of Sacred Games. She has since featured in projects such as Abhay, Made in Heaven, Mastii 4. She currently co-hosts Wheel of Fortune with Akshay Kumar.Khamenei’s long reignAyatollah Ali Khamenei assumed leadership in 1989 following the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the architect of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and established clerical rule in Iran. For over more than 35 years in power, he consolidated authority and expanded Iran’s clerical establishment.