Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to take “inevitable” revenge for the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, according to a statement released Saturday by the Fars news agency. This marks his first public message following his father’s burial, as reported by AFP and CNN.
In the statement, Mojtaba, who succeeded Ali as Iran’s supreme leader, emphasized that avenging his father’s death is the “will of our nation” and must be carried out without fail. “This revenge does not depend on my existence or that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will happen,” he asserted in a letter signed on Friday.
He expressed gratitude to the “tens of millions” who participated in the recent funeral ceremonies for his father, promising to avenge the “pure blood” of all martyrs from the two wars referenced in his message.
Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, was killed in an airstrike on February 28 amid the war initiated by the United States and Israel against Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since taking over, reportedly sustained injuries in the same attack that also claimed the lives of his mother and wife. Since then, he has communicated only through written messages attributed to him by Iranian publications.
Trump Warns Iran Will Be “Devastated” If Assassination Attempt Occurs
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face severe consequences if it attempted to assassinate him. “I have long been on their list. This is what we are facing,” Trump told the New York Post. He stated he had issued instructions to respond with unprecedented bombing should any threat materialize.
This assertion comes as Israel alerted the U.S. this week to a recent plot by Tehran to assassinate Trump, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Another source indicated that while the U.S. has received a steady stream of intelligence about potential assassination plans, this specific warning from Israel pertains to a new and particular conspiracy.
Nevertheless, some American officials suggested that the Israeli report might be an attempt to influence Trump’s decision-making as he considers escalating U.S. military actions against Iran.
