This is a defining moment for the Islamic Republic of Iran. There had been a swirl of reports about the fate of the supreme leader ever since Saturday morning, when it was clear that his residence had been targeted in the first wave of strikes. Satellite images showed significant damage to his compound. The first response from Iran was that he had been taken to a safe place. Then came news that the 86-year-old cleric was to speak on state television, but nothing materialised. By early evening, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, announced that "there are many signs" that the Supreme leader "is no longer". A series of reports in Israeli and US media, quoting unnamed officials, spoke of convincing evidence he was dead. All the while, Iranian officials continued to deny it. But then, several hours after US President Donald Trump announced the news on his social media platform, Iranian state television confirmed Khamenei had been killed.…