There is now an open path to a different Iran, EU's Kallas says

BRUSSELS, March 1 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday that the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was "a defining moment in Iran’s history".

"What comes next is uncertain. But there is now an open path to a different Iran, one that its people may have greater freedom to shape," Kallas said on social media platform X.

"I’m in contact with partners, including those in the region that bear the brunt of Iran’s military actions, to find practical steps for de-escalation."

Khamenei was killed on Saturday, Iranian state media announced, in Israeli and U.S. air strikes that pulverised his central Tehran compound.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that she spoke with Jordan's King Abdullah and that Europe stands "in full solidarity" with Jordan after Iranian strikes.

"With Khamenei gone, there is renewed hope for the people of Iran. We must ensure that the future is theirs to claim and shape," Von der Leyen said X.

"At the same time, this moment carries a real risk of instability that could push the region into a spiral of violence."

(Reporting by Lili Bayer Editing by David Goodman)