Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed revenge for the killing of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring that justice for those killed in the recent wars is inevitable.
In his first public statement since funeral ceremonies for his father began a week ago, Mojtaba Khamenei said vengeance was “the demand of the nation” and “must certainly” be carried out. The written message was broadcast on Iranian state television on Saturday.
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers,” the statement said.
The message added that retaliation would not depend solely on Iran, saying that “every free person around the world” would ultimately play a role in carrying out what it described as a divine mission.
“Whether we are there or not, this will be accomplished, and soon every free person around the world will fulfill a part of this divine mission,” the statement said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28 at the start of the conflict. Mojtaba Khamenei, who reportedly suffered facial injuries and other wounds in the same attack, has not appeared publicly since being appointed supreme leader on March 8.
His continued absence — with no photographs, videos or audio recordings released since the strike — has fueled speculation inside Iran, where some citizens have questioned why the country’s new leader has yet to be seen, even if injured.
Senior Iranian power structures, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), backed Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment following his father’s death.
The statement comes as tensions remain high despite efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States after four months of war.
This week, U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fresh attacks, raising doubts about the durability of the truce. While Tehran maintains the agreement could eventually bring significant economic benefits, U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire effectively over before later saying Washington and Tehran had agreed to continue negotiations.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for 37 years, was buried Friday at the country’s holiest shrine following funeral ceremonies attended by large crowds, according to Iranian state media.