Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to avenge the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes earlier this year.

He described the pursuit of retribution as a responsibility of the nation and emphasised that justice would inevitably be delivered to those responsible.

In a message issued during the funeral and burial ceremonies of the late leader, Mojtaba Khamenei pledged that the perpetrators would not escape punishment. He declared, “We pledge to avenge your pure blood and that of all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and dishonourable murderers. This revenge is the will of our nation and must be carried out without fail.”

He further warned that those responsible would never enjoy a peaceful death, stressing that the mission of revenge was not dependent on his presence or that of other officials. He asserted that the task would be accomplished regardless, and that free people across the world would contribute to fulfilling this divine mission.

Mojtaba Khamenei expressed gratitude for the unprecedented turnout during the six-day funeral ceremonies held across Iran and Iraq. He described the participation of tens of millions in cities such as Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad as historic, astonishing, and enemy-breaking.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was laid to rest at the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad late Thursday night. His coffin was carried around the shrine as part of the funeral rites before being buried at the Dar al-Dhikr prayer hall. The funeral prayers were led by his eldest son, Mostafa Khamenei, who performed the ritual prayers over the body.

In his message, Mojtaba Khamenei invoked the symbolism of Imam Hosayn, noting that the Iranian nation had long sacrificed in his cause and remained committed to that legacy. He said, “Our nation is the bloodthirsty one for Hosayn. This great nation sacrificed its children for many years in the cause of Hosayn and in the war against the enemies of Hosayn and the Hosayni cause. And now it is the bloodthirsty one for him and the Hosayni people of the time.”

Paying tribute to his father, Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to continue his path, vowing to uphold his school of thought and persevere despite difficulties. He promised to take heart in the promises of God, just as his father had done.

In the concluding part of his message, he offered prayers for his father and those killed alongside him in the strikes, describing them as martyrs who had attained divine honour. He said, “O martyr father of the nation, may you be blessed with the nectar of martyrdom that you have been longing for all your life... And you, his oppressed companions, who were unexpectedly attacked by the enemy and martyred, are blessed to be the guests of that Master... his safe neighbourhood has become your home.”

Ali Khamenei’s assassination on 28 February triggered widespread conflict across West Asia. Following his death, Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, inheriting both the mantle of leadership and the responsibility of guiding the nation through a turbulent period.

ANI