Who Is Mansoureh Khojasteh, Khamenei's Wife Dubbed a 'Martyr'?

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The death of Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the wife of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was reported by Iran’s state media on Tuesday. She died from injuries sustained in an air strike carried out by United States and Israeli forces. The incident forms part of a broader escalation of conflict shaking the Middle East region. According to reports, Bagherzadeh, aged around 79, was in a coma before dying on 2 March 2026 in Tehran, Iran, from injuries she sustained in the attack that killed her husband on 28 February 2026. What was she like? Born in Mashhad to a well-known religious family, Bagherzadeh married Khamenei in 1964. She served as the wife of the Supreme Leader and mother of six children, including Mostafa, Mojtaba, and Masoud. In public life, she was known for guarding her privacy and rarely appearing at political events. She focused more on her family and religious activities. Iranian media, including Press TV and Fars News Agency, said Bagherzadeh ‘has attained martyrdom’ after the attack. This is the term used in Iran to describe death in the context of struggle or enemy attack. In addition to Bagherzadeh and her husband, several close family members including their children, sons- and daughters-in-law, and grandchildren were also reported killed in the same attack. The incident occurred amid a wave of joint air strikes by the US and Israel targeting Iran, including strategic locations such as the office of Khamenei in Tehran as part of a broader military operation. The conflict has triggered diplomatic and military responses from various countries and prompted retaliatory actions by Iran. To date, there has been no independent statement from foreign authorities confirming the details, but local media’s confirmation of Bagherzadeh’s death forms part of the broader picture of destruction in the conflict.