Mojtaba Khamenei Pledges Revenge for Father's Death

Mojtaba Khamenei pledged Saturday that Iran will seek revenge for the death of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei ^[1].

The statement signals a hardening of the Iranian leadership's stance following the loss of its highest authority. By framing retaliation as a national necessity, Khamenei is consolidating his position as the successor and primary voice of the state's security agenda.

Khamenei, now the highest Iranian religious authority, issued the statement via the official news agency IRNA on Saturday, July 11 ^[1], ^[2]. He described the pursuit of revenge for the blood of his father as the collective will of the Iranian people.

"Revenge is the will of our nation, and it is inevitable," Khamenei said ^[1].

Ali Khamenei was killed on Feb. 28, 2026 ^[2], during the first day of attacks carried out by the U.S. and Israel ^[2]. The strikes targeted the leadership of the Islamic Republic, creating a power vacuum that Mojtaba Khamenei has since filled.

In a separate vow, Khamenei focused on the personal and spiritual obligation of the state to respond to the strike. "We make a covenant to take revenge for your pure blood," he said ^[2].

The rhetoric follows months of instability since the February attacks. The pledge emphasizes that the Iranian state does not view the death of the former Supreme Leader as a closed chapter, but as a catalyst for future military or asymmetric operations against the U.S. and Israel.

Khamenei did not specify a timeline or the method for the promised retaliation. However, he framed the outcome as a certainty, linking the state's legitimacy to its ability to avenge the former leader ^[1], ^[2].