Few will mourn Ali Khamenei and his evil legacy, says UK defence secretary

The UK defence secretary has said few will mourn Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, whose death was announced after US and Israeli airstrikes.John Healey, a senior cabinet minister, described the Iranian regime as “evil” and said it had menaced the west by sponsoring at least 20 terrorist plots to attack the UK as well as involvement in proxy wars.He did not criticise the US and Israeli strikes, saying it was “for the US to set out and explain” whether its action was legal. But he also refused to be drawn on the UK having declined use of its military bases for the attacks.While distancing the UK from the strikes, Healey said the government’s role was now to act defensively. He said there was a “very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out across the region”.Speaking on Sky News, Healey said UK military planes were active in the Middle East in order to protect British citizens and interests across the region, shooting down missiles that could threaten them. Healey said Iran should get rid of its weapons and return to negotiation.Asked for his reaction to the killing of Khamenei, he said: “I think few people will mourn the ayatollah’s death, not least the families and friends of the thousands of protesters murdered on the streets of Iranian cities … Iran and the regime he’s led for so long, it’s a source of evil – murdering its own citizens and sponsoring and exporting terror.”Healey said Iran was hitting out in an “indiscriminate” way, attacking hotels in Dubai and Bahrain as well as an airport in Kuwait.The US and Israeli action has divided opinion in the UK. Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said the attack was in breach of international law and she was glad the UK was not involved.Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green party, also condemned the assassination of the ayatollah and told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that there was no justification for the bombing.In contrast, Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said it was “astonishing” that Keir Starmer did not “step up” and offer more support to the US and Israeli operation. Reform UK’s Nigel Farage took a similar position, posting on X: “The prime minister needs to change his mind on the use of our military bases and back the Americans in this vital fight against Iran!”