Yair Golan Khamenei comments have set off a political storm in Israel. The leader of the left-wing Democrats party said the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a strategic error, arguing it left Israel facing more extreme adversaries in Tehran.
Golan, a former deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, made the remarks during an interview with journalist Yossi Yehoshua at a cultural event in Rishon LeZion on Friday. He said he believed “unequivocally” that eliminating the Iranian leader had been the wrong decision.
Yair Golan Khamenei remarks: what he said
“Not because he didn’t deserve to die, but because it doesn’t serve the interests of the State of Israel,” Golan said, according to multiple Israeli outlets that covered the event. He argued that the 86-year-old veteran leader had given Israel a measure of predictability, and that his removal had cleared the way for harder-line figures.
“There is always a certain advantage to having an elderly, long-serving leader. And he was already 86,” he said.
Golan contended that Khamenei’s son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, was under the sway of the most extreme elements of Iran’s leadership. He said Israel had stood at the height of its achievements against Iran at the end of the earlier Operation Rising Lion, but that the follow-up campaign, Operation Roaring Lion, had worsened the country’s long-term strategic position.
He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of selling Washington “illusions about toppling the Iranian regime” without any diplomatic strategy, instead of leading a regional initiative to secure Israel’s position.
The killing and its aftermath
Khamenei was killed by an Israeli air strike on his Tehran bunker on February 28, 2026, at the start of Israel’s Operation Roaring Lion against Iran, according to Israeli media reports. His son Mojtaba succeeded him as supreme leader.
Golan’s position has shifted over time. On the day of the strike he welcomed the Israeli military action and spoke of possible change for the Iranian people. By April he was conceding that the assassination could harm Israel’s security, a view he has now stated in much stronger terms.
The Democrats leader has been one of Netanyahu’s sharpest critics on the conduct of the Iran campaign, and his latest comments are likely to deepen that confrontation.
‘Parasitic population’ remark draws outrage
At the same Rishon LeZion event, Golan directed harsh criticism at Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community, describing it as a “parasitic population” and calling for it to become a productive part of the workforce. The remarks drew swift condemnation from religious parties and political rivals.
The twin controversies arrive at a sensitive moment. Israel remains locked in a tense standoff with Iran’s new leadership, while efforts to end the wider regional conflict continue through international mediation. Washington has ruled out direct strikes on Iran for now, and Pakistan has played a mediation role recognised by the UN chief. The Houthi front in Yemen remains another flashpoint tied to Tehran.
Golan’s party holds a small opposition bloc, but his military background gives his security assessments an audience well beyond his voter base. Whether his critique gains traction will depend on how the standoff with Mojtaba Khamenei’s Iran develops in the coming months.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Yair Golan?
He is the leader of Israel’s left-wing Democrats party and a former deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, now an opposition politician.
What did Golan say about Khamenei’s killing?
He said he unequivocally believed the assassination was a mistake, not because Khamenei did not deserve it, but because it did not serve Israel’s interests. He argued the 86-year-old leader’s removal empowered more extreme elements in Tehran.
When was Ali Khamenei killed?
According to Israeli media, Khamenei was killed in an Israeli air strike on his Tehran bunker on February 28, 2026. His son Mojtaba succeeded him as Iran’s supreme leader.
Why did Golan’s other remarks cause outrage?
At the same event he described Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community as a “parasitic population”, drawing condemnation from religious parties and rivals.
