Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Sunday termed the death of Iran´s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as opening of a window for long-awaited change in the Middle East.
“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been confirmed dead. This opens a window for long-awaited change in the Middle East. Iran’s dictatorship has long been a shackle on its own citizens and an obstacle to regional peace,” Valtonen wrote in a post on her social media platform X.
She wrote that the Iranian regime’s actions have been destabilising also beyond the Middle East.
“Iran has provided Russia with drones and missiles used in its war of aggression against Ukraine. Its non-compliance with nuclear non-proliferation agreements has been a constant threat to world peace,” the Foreign Minister added.
She pointed out that earlier this year, Finland, together with EU Member States, designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation.
“The Iranian people deserve the right to freedom. There must be an orderly path for the citizens to regain control of their lives and their country—control that has been denied to them for far too long,” said Valtonen.
She also said that the risk of a spiral of violence in the Middle East remains a concern.
“We need diplomacy and good-faith negotiations. Civilians must be protected at all times,” she added.
Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Tehran on February 28, 2026.
- Valtonen
- FM
- Finland
- Khamenei
- Death
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
