Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei vows revenge for father's death

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed on Saturday, July 11, 2026, to avenge the death of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring revenge a national obligation. The statement, released on his official Telegram account and carried by state-linked media, came as Iran concluded months-long funeral ceremonies for the late leader in his hometown of Mashhad.

In his message, Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to avenge the blood of his father and all those killed in what he described as two wars. "Revenge is the demand of our nation and must certainly be carried out," the statement read. "We pledge that we will take revenge for your pure blood and the blood of all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers." He added that the pursuit of vengeance would continue regardless of changes in Iranian leadership.

The late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, an event that dramatically escalated regional tensions. His funeral proceedings, which began in Tehran, were marked by mourners chanting slogans and displaying banners calling for retaliation against the United States and Israel.