Iran's Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei announced Saturday that global volunteers will soon participate in a mission to avenge his late father [1].
The statement signals a potential escalation in regional tensions as Tehran seeks to mobilize international support for a retaliatory operation. This move follows the death of the former leader, which has become a focal point for Iranian state rhetoric and public demand.
In a written message released on July 11 [1], the Supreme Leader said that revenge for the blood of the late leader and other martyrs is a demand of the Iranian people that must be fulfilled [3]. He specifically identified the targets as the killers of his predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei [1].
Ali Khamenei died on Feb. 28, 2026, during a joint Israeli-U.S. airstrike [1]. The current leadership has framed this event not only as a loss of a head of state but as a catalyst for a broader struggle involving what the leader described as "free people" from around the world [2].
Khamenei said that these international participants will soon take part in a portion of the revenge mission [2]. The announcement does not specify the nature of the mission or the exact timing of the operations, but it emphasizes a shift toward incorporating non-state or foreign actors into the retaliation strategy.
Throughout the message, the Supreme Leader linked the necessity of this operation to a popular mandate, saying that the pursuit of vengeance is a requirement for the nation [3]. The call for global participation suggests a strategy to broaden the conflict beyond traditional military borders, positioning the mission as a global cause rather than a strictly national one.
“"Revenge and vengeance for the blood of the late leader and the rest of the martyrs is the demand of our people and must be achieved."”
By calling for 'free people' from around the world to join a revenge mission, Mujtaba Khamenei is attempting to internationalize the conflict following the Feb. 28 airstrike. This rhetoric suggests that Iran may be moving toward a proxy-heavy or volunteer-based asymmetric warfare model to bypass traditional military constraints while satisfying domestic pressure for a strong response to the death of the former Supreme Leader.
