Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has vowed that those responsible for the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will face retaliation, breaking his public silence for the first time since assuming office.
In a statement released Saturday through his Telegram channel, Khamenei described revenge for his father’s killing as “the demand of the nation” and said it was inevitable.
He said those behind the assassination would not escape justice, insisting they would carry the burden of their actions for the rest of their lives.
The statement came days after Khamenei presided remotely over the funeral of his father, who was buried in Mashhad more than four months after he was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28.
The strike marked the beginning of the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was swiftly appointed Supreme Leader by Iran’s Assembly of Experts following his father’s death. His absence from public events since then had fuelled speculation about his health and security.
Thousands of mourners attended the funeral under tight security, with many pledging support for the country’s new leader while demanding retaliation against those responsible for the assassination.
The ceremony was also overshadowed by reports that two members of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force were killed in an attack near the funeral venue.
Tensions remain high as US President Donald Trump has warned Washington would respond decisively to any attempt on his life.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts are continuing behind the scenes. Reports indicate that Qatari mediators are shuttling between Tehran and Washington in an effort to ease tensions and keep negotiations alive, even as Iran’s new leadership insists it will not abandon its promise of retaliation.
