Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Saturday vowed that those responsible for the killing of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, would face retaliation, escalating tensions with the United States and Israel amid fragile efforts to preserve a ceasefire agreement.
His remarks came hours after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against any attempt to target him, threatening overwhelming military action should Iran pursue such a course.
The renewed war of words follows a week of military exchanges that rattled an interim agreement designed to halt hostilities between Iran and the US-Israel alliance. The conflict erupted in late February after large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
In a written message released on Saturday, Mojtaba Khamenei said retribution for his father’s death was inevitable and reflected the will of the Iranian people.
“Vengeance is the will of our nation and must inevitably be carried out,” he declared.
Khamenei, who assumed leadership following the death of Ali Khamenei in the February strikes, has remained largely out of public view since before the outbreak of the war. His latest statement marked his first public communication since his father’s funeral earlier this week.
“This matter depends neither on my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are present or not, it will come to pass,” he said, adding that Iran had identified individuals it intends to target in response.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump used his Truth Social platform to issue a stern warning to Tehran, saying any attempt on his life would provoke a devastating military response from Washington.
“1,000 missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more ready to follow immediately should the Iranian Government act on its threat to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America,” Trump wrote.
He added that orders had already been issued and that the US military stood ready to “completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” if such a threat materialised.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions have continued. Iranian media reported that a delegation from Qatar arrived in Iran on Friday as part of efforts to revive negotiations and strengthen Doha’s role as a mediator.
Although Trump has indicated that talks with Tehran will continue, he has repeatedly dismissed the negotiations as ineffective.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, insisted that Tehran had honoured the commitments contained in a memorandum of understanding signed with Washington last month.
“Iran has so far kept its word,” Araghchi said. “Reality check: There can only be mutual compliance.”
Strait of Hormuz dispute remains key obstacle
While US and Iranian representatives have held both direct and indirect talks in recent weeks, progress towards a broader settlement has remained elusive.
One of the major sticking points is the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that Iran closed to commercial traffic during the conflict in response to US-Israeli military operations.
The strategic waterway serves as a major channel for oil and gas exports from Gulf states, and its closure has disrupted international energy markets and trade flows.
Iran has insisted that it will retain control over navigation through the strait and has proposed charging transit fees, signalling that the pre-war arrangement of unrestricted passage will not be restored. Washington has rejected the proposal, arguing that international law protects free navigation through major international straits.
Araghchi travelled to Oman on Saturday for discussions concerning the future administration of the waterway.
According to reports by Axios and Politico, the United States has given Iran until Saturday to halt attacks on commercial vessels passing through Hormuz and formally recognise that the strait remains open to international shipping.
The latest military confrontation was triggered by allegations that Iran had targeted three vessels it claimed had strayed from approved routes. In response, the United States launched extensive airstrikes on approximately 90 targets across Iran.
Iran’s Health Ministry said the attacks killed 17 people and injured at least 115 others. Tehran subsequently launched retaliatory measures against several Gulf states hosting American military installations.
Regional mediators seek to preserve ceasefire
Qatar, despite being among the Gulf countries affected during the conflict, has taken a leading role in mediation efforts.
Alongside the Qatari delegation’s visit to Tehran, Qatar’s Emir held discussions on Friday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has also been involved in diplomatic initiatives aimed at reducing tensions.
According to Sharif’s office, the Pakistani leader also spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and urged him to help preserve what he described as the region’s “hard-earned peace”.
However, Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with Washington, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, signalled that Tehran remained resolute.
“Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone must know that this confrontation will never end with Iran’s surrender,” he was quoted as saying by Iran’s ISNA news agency.
He added that the Iranian people were fully prepared to defend the country against any future aggression.
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