Iran's Supreme Leader Promises Retaliation for Father's Death

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei stated on Saturday that Iran would seek to avenge the death of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in late February. He declared, "We pledge to avenge your pure blood and the blood of all the martyrs," emphasizing that this vengeance is a demand from the nation. This statement follows a breakdown of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, with the U.S. conducting new strikes on Iran in response to Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has set a deadline for Iran to cease its actions in the strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is currently in Oman for discussions aimed at mediating the conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump has also issued threats against Iran, asserting that he would respond decisively to any threats against his life. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public for several months and has been rumored to have sustained injuries from an airstrike.