Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed revenge for the victims of the current war, including his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes early in the conflict.
Ayatollah Mojtaba released a written message on July 11 (local time) regarding his father's recent funeral.
"We vow to take revenge for your pure blood and the pure blood of all the martyrs who sacrificed themselves in these two wars from the heinous and shameful murderers," he stated. "This revenge is the demand of our people and must be carried out."
He further warned, "These criminals, whose list is vast, must take the vain hope of dying peacefully in their own beds to their graves. They must clearly understand that this revenge is independent of whether I or other high-ranking officials survive."
He also added, "Whether we exist or not, this will surely be realized, and before long, free citizens around the world will each join in this sacred mission."
Ayatollah Mojtaba compared his late father to Imam Hussein, the third Imam who met a tragic end while fighting against the Sunni dynasty.
He attributed significance to this, saying, "Now, the spirit of that Hussein has revived our people and added a new dimension to the teachings of Imam Khomeini and Ayatollah Khamenei."
Ayatollah Mojtaba, who is known to have been injured during the February 28 U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed his father, has not appeared in public even once since succeeding as Supreme Leader due to security reasons.
He was also not seen at his father's funeral, which was held over the past six days.
(Photo: Provided by the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, Yonhap News)