Ayatollah Khamenei's assassination a 'mistake,' Democrats party leader Yair Golan says

"When you have an elderly and veteran leader, there is certainly an advantage in that," said Golan. "Of course, he was already 86 years old."

Democrats party leader Yair Golan said that the IDF's assasination of former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a "mistake," during an interview with Yediot Ahronot and i24 News commentator Yossi Yehoshua at the Rishon Lezion Cultural Center on Friday.

Golan clarified that his opinion was not based on Khamenei deserving his fate, but rather "because it (the assasination) didn't serve the interests of the State of Israel."

"When you have an elderly and veteran leader, there is certainly an advantage in that," he said. "Of course, he was already 86 years old."

Khamenei was killed by an IAF strike on his Tehran bunker on February 28, 2026, at the start of Israel's Operation Roaring Lion against Iran.

He was succeeded by his son, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Golan: Every 18-year-old in Israel must serve country for one year minimum

Turning to the issue of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) enlistment, Golan said the "clear goal" was for every 18-year-old to "serve the state" for at least one year.

"I think this will build a more integrated society," he said, describing himself as a "realistic person."

He added that the way to achieve this goal was to "sit and talk" about the issue.

"We have the patience, the maturity, the professional responsibility to build a real process and not a fake one," said Golan.

Shir Perets, Jame Genn, Tobias Holcman, and Idan Kweller contributed to this report.