In a message issued following the conclusion of the funeral and burial ceremonies for Iran’s assassinated Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son and successor, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, today vowed that his country and its allies will shortly hunt down and kill those responsible for his father’s death.
Ali Khamenei was among those killed by United States (US) and Israeli missiles on 28 February this year in Tehran, the Iranian capital –the first day of the ongoing war on Iran.
The younger Khamenei expressed heartfelt appreciation for the participation of tens of millions of people in Iran and Iraq in the farewell ceremonies for the “Martyr of Iran.”
He said the massive turnout in cities and villages across the two countries, particularly in Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad, demonstrated national unity and resilience.
Reflecting on his late father’s life, the Supreme Leader described him as one whose life, struggle, and martyrdom were shaped by the ideals associated with Imam Hussein, saying his killing has inspired a renewed spirit among supporters of the Islamic Revolution.
Addressing his late father, the Supreme Leader pledged to preserve his path and continue pursuing the course he had charted with perseverance, adding that Iran would not be deterred by hardships and would remain committed to its objectives.
Ayatollah Khamenei vowed that Iran would avenge the blood of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and all others slain in the two recent wars, saying this was the will of the Iranian nation and that it would inevitably be carried out.
The Supreme Leader stressed that those responsible for the assassinations have been identified and warned that they should not expect to escape accountability, noting that the pursuit of revenge does not depend on any single individual or official and would continue regardless of circumstances.
He added that, in the near future, freedom-seeking people around the world would each play a role in fulfilling this mission.
Ayatollah Khamenei also paid tribute to the family members and companions who were assassinated alongside his father, praying for their elevated status and commending their sacrifices.
Trump Promises US Will ‘Completely Decimate And Destroy’ Iran If It Attempts On His Life
Firing back, however, US President Donald Trump said — today too — that he had ordered the military to be prepared to launch major strikes against Iran if the Iranian government carries out or attempts an assassination of the President.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” he said in a Truth Social post.
“Orders have already been given, and the US Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran — PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”
Trump’s remarks came two days after The Wall Street Journal reported, citing individuals familiar with the matter, that Israel had shared intelligence with the US about Iranian plans to kill the American President.
Two US officials told Channel 12 News that the information related to general dialogue between Iranian officials on potentially assassinating Trump, rather than a specific plot, and that Israel had given similar information on plans by Iran and Iran-linked terror groups over the past year.
The officials said that they believed Israel gave the information to the US to improve ties between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump and to try to influence Washington’s policies on Iran.
Trump on Friday denied the reports, telling The New York Post in a phone interview, “No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no.”
“I’ve been number one [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is,” he added.
Iran has been publicly pledging to assassinate Trump since the US killed Iranian Republican Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, with calls for the US President’s death featuring prominently in the mourning commemorations for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“The only thing is, I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before,” Trump said in the phone call. “I hope you’ll miss me.”
Amid the fears of an assassination attempt, Trump unexpectedly left Turkey this week aboard an older Air Force One rather than the newly renovated Qatari-donated jet that brought him there.
The New York Times reported that this was done at the recommendation of the US Secret Service as a security precaution.
The alleged Iranian plans to kill Trump follow multiple assassination attempts against the US President.
Most recently, eight men were indicted Thursday on murder and terrorism conspiracy charges for their alleged roles in a thwarted plot to target officials linked to Israel, including Trump, Vice President JD Vance, other federal officials, trillionaire businessman Elon Musk and “other high-value targets,” at the UFC event at the White House last month.
Federal prosecutors also alleged that the group planned to murder Netanyahu, who was not at the event.
Additionally, in 2024, US prosecutors announced charges in an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump and a prominent dissident Iranian-American journalist.
*PHOTO CAPTION: L-R: The late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba Khamenei, during the former’s lifetime.
