At least nine people were killed and more than 30 injured when pro-Iranian protesters stormed the perimeter of the United States Consulate in Karachi on Sunday, authorities and rescue officials said, after reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US–Israeli strikes on Iran. The clashes marked some of the deadliest unrest in Pakistan linked to the escalating regional conflict.

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Violence near U.S. diplomatic mission Section 144 imposed in Islamabad

Iran confirms death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel strike

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on Mai Kolachi Road chanting slogans against the United States and Israel following news that Khamenei, Iran’s highest authority, had been killed in coordinated airstrikes. Protesters breached the consulate’s outer wall and clashed with police and paramilitary forces, who used tear gas and batons to disperse the crowd, officials reported.

Violence near U.S. diplomatic mission

Local hospital officials confirmed that at least nine people died from injuries sustained during the clashes, and dozens more were wounded. Video footage and eyewitness accounts showed security forces firing tear gas and responding to demonstrators who attempted to breach the consulate compound.

Protests also spread to other cities, with demonstrations reported in Lahore and parts of northern Pakistan, reflecting broader public anger over the reported death of Khamenei and the wider conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Section 144 imposed in Islamabad

In the federal capital, authorities imposed Section 144 — which prohibits public gatherings — and sealed the Red Zone area housing diplomatic missions and government buildings to prevent further unrest. Law enforcement placed containers at key roads leading to central protest points such as Serena Chowk, and warned that any assemblies would be treated as unlawful.

Police and civil authorities urged citizens to avoid protest areas and to comply with the restrictions for safety, as tension remained high across Pakistan following the regional escalation triggered by the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.