Iran's new supreme leader vows 'inevitable' revenge for father's killing, as Trump threatens to 'decimate' country
Mojtaba Khamenei, in his first public statement since succeeding his father Ali Khamenei, said retaliation for the February 28 US-Israeli airstrike that killed the former supreme leader 'must inevitably be carried out.'
Iran's newly installed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued an open pledge of vengeance for the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking his first public statement since assuming power and since the former leader's funeral this week. The declaration, posted on his Telegram channel, comes amid ratcheting US-Iran tensions, with President Donald Trump warning on Friday that he has ordered the Pentagon to bomb Iran "at levels never seen before" should any assassination attempt against him succeed.
A public vow of retaliation
Mojtaba Khamenei's message, dated Friday 9 July and published Saturday, framed revenge as a national and religious duty rather than a personal vendetta. "We pledge to avenge the pure blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars, spilled by criminal and dishonourable murderers," he wrote.
This revenge is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out.
The new leader added that reprisal does not depend on his own survival or that of other officials. "Whether we are present or not, it will happen," he stated, and asserted that the names of those targeted "are on a list." The statement was attributed to him by Iran's Fars news agency and also reported by Reuters and AFP.
The funeral and the February strike
Ali Khamenei was killed on 28 February 2026 in a joint US-Israeli airstrike that decimated a significant portion of Iran's political and military leadership, according to multiple reports. His burial took place this week in Mashhad on 9 July, more than four months after his death. Mojtaba Khamenei thanked the "tens of millions" of people who attended the ceremonies, describing their presence as "historic, capable of crushing the enemy."
Israeli intelligence reportedly tracked the late ayatollah's bodyguards through Tehran's own network of street surveillance cameras, which the regime had deployed to monitor citizens and opponents. Israel had access to the camera network for years and used artificial intelligence to filter the data, pinpointing Khamenei's location with certainty before striking the building where he was present.
Mojtaba Khamenei, who is believed to have been wounded in the same attack that killed his father, mother, and wife, has not been seen in public since his elevation. All his communications have been written messages disseminated through Iranian outlets.
Regional flashpoints and the Strait of Hormuz
- US-Israeli airstrike kills Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and decimates Iranian leadership
- Three-week protocol agreed on Strait of Hormuz; US later accuses Iran of violating it
- Ali Khamenei buried in Mashhad; Mojtaba Khamenei dates his revenge message
- Mojtaba Khamenei publishes revenge pledge; Trump threatens 1,000 loaded missiles
- Scheduled meeting between Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi and Omani counterpart on strait commitments
The rhetoric from Tehran coincides with renewed hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Axios, the Trump administration has demanded that Tehran publicly acknowledge the strait is open to navigation and commit to halting attacks on commercial vessels. The message was delivered directly and via regional mediators. Washington expects a declaration following a meeting scheduled for Saturday in Muscat between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart.
A US official warned of "serious consequences" if Iran fails to make the commitment. The US accuses Tehran of repeatedly opening fire on commercial ships in the strait, violating a protocol agreed three weeks ago.
Trump's counter-threats
President Trump escalated the exchange on Saturday, stating that "1,000 missiles are loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more ready to follow immediately if the Iranian government acts on its threat." He added that the US military is prepared for an operation lasting up to one year, with the possibility of extension.
Orders have already been given and the US military is ready, willing, and able, for a period of one year, which may be extended, to decimate and completely destroy all areas of Iran.
Earlier on Friday, Trump told the New York Post that he had left instructions: "If something happens, just bomb them at levels not seen before." The remarks followed reports that Israel conveyed intelligence to the United States this week about a specific, recent Iranian plot to assassinate Trump. While US officials have tracked a steady flow of information on possible assassination plans in recent weeks, two sources told CNN the Israeli warning concerned a new, specific plot.
