Mojtaba Khamenei Vows Revenge for His Father's Death
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has affirmed that avenging his father’s death is a “demand of the nation” and “must certainly be carried out”, according to a written message released on his Telegram account on Saturday (11 July 2026).
Khamenei issued the message during the funeral ceremony for his father, the former Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held several months after he was killed in a United States–Israel air strike on 28 February.
“This revenge is the will of our nation and must be carried out,” he said in the letter, signed on Friday (10 July). “This matter does not depend on my personal presence or that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will happen,” he added, as reported by AFP on Saturday (11 July 2026).
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars upon those criminal and despicable murderers,” Khamenei said in the message.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried in the early hours of Friday (10 July) local time at the Imam Reza Shrine, Iran’s most revered Shia holy site.
Iranian state media reported that Khamenei was laid to rest in his birthplace, Mashhad, within the religious complex known for its great golden dome and gold-clad minarets.
The funeral ceremony itself was held privately, but it followed a week of national mourning and a series of massive public processions that drew more than 15 million mourners. According to Iranian estimates, the number reached some 43 million mourners.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence praised the large turnout of mourners, describing the processions in Iran and Iraq as a new pledge towards the nation’s aspirations and the Axis of Resistance.
According to Iranian media outlet Press TV on Saturday (11 July 2026), in a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry expressed gratitude to the peoples of Iran and Iraq, religious authorities, governments of friendly nations, and delegations from across the Islamic world for their participation in the funeral processions.
The ministry also thanked mourners from Lebanon, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Kashmir, India, Bahrain and other countries, describing their presence as a demonstration of enduring solidarity with the nation.
“This historic funeral reflects the loyalty and awareness of the Islamic nation and renews its commitment to Islamic ideals,” the ministry’s statement read.
The ministry further praised the processions organised by Iraqi tribes and religious institutions, saying they highlighted the eternal bond between the peoples of Iran and Iraq and strengthened the path of resistance.
“We renew our covenant of blood and struggle with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and will remain on the front line of the battle against the criminal United States and the child-killing Zionist regime,” the statement added.