Pakistan Violence After Khamenei Killing

Protests have erupted across Pakistan following the confirmed death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering clashes between demonstrators and security forces that have left multiple people dead and dozens injured.

The most severe unrest occurred on 1 March 2026 outside the United States Consulate in Karachi, where pro‑Iranian demonstrators attempted to breach the diplomatic compound and voiced vehement condemnation of the Western military action that killed Khamenei. Reports differ slightly on the total number of fatalities, with official sources citing between six and ten deaths resulting from clashes, and rescue services confirming several dozen injuries.

In Karachi, crowds moved towards the consulate, smashing windows and engaging in pitched confrontations with Pakistani police and paramilitary units. Security forces deployed batons and tear gas to disperse the advancing mob, ultimately firing on demonstrators when they pressed closer to guarded areas.

Video shared on social media and verified by news organisations captured scenes of chaotic street battles, flames, and wounded people being carried to ambulances as authorities struggled to regain control of the area.

Large protests also took place in other Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and the northern Gilgit‑Baltistan region, where demonstrators reportedly set fire to a United Nations office building.

Internationally, similar demonstrations were reported in cities such as Baghdad, where pro‑Iranian crowds gathered near the Green Zone outside the US Embassy, prompting police to use tear gas and stun grenades to contain the unrest.

Iranian state media confirmed Khamenei’s death at the weekend following joint US‑Israeli air strikes on Tehran, marking a dramatic escalation in conflict after decades of geopolitical tension. The news has reverberated across the Middle East, prompting both official mourning in Iran and sharp protests abroad.

Snapshot: Karachi Protest Clashes

The protests underscore growing tensions following the Middle East conflict escalation, with many in Pakistan’s large Shiite community expressing outrage at the deaths and the international military actions that precipitated them.