Iran has warned the United States and Israel against launching any new military action as the country prepares for the funeral ceremonies of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the opening day of the recent conflict.
The warning came on Thursday from Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, who said Tehran would respond forcefully to any renewed attack.
“We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the United States and the Zionist regime, against any miscalculation,” Abdollahi said in a statement carried by Iranian state media.
He added that Iran’s armed forces were prepared to deliver “harsh retaliation” in response to any threat or aggression directed at the country.
State funeral ceremonies for Khamenei are scheduled to begin on July 4 in Tehran before moving through Qom and parts of Iraq, with final burial rites set for July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad.
The latest warning follows similar remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who on Wednesday vowed that Tehran would respond “immediately and powerfully” to any attempt to target Iran’s leadership or its people.
Araqchi’s comments came after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz reportedly declared that Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had been “marked for death,” further escalating tensions between the two longtime adversaries.
Iranian authorities have also announced heightened security measures ahead of the funeral ceremonies.
State media reported that additional security forces would be deployed across key cities, while Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation confirmed temporary airspace restrictions over Tehran, Mashhad and several other locations during the mourning period.
