Iranian authorities announced the start of the funeral rites for the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei, this Wednesday evening, following his assassination in a joint aerial attack carried out by Israeli and American forces last Saturday. An official statement issued by the Islamic Council for Development Coordination stated that the body would be transferred to the Grand Imam Khomeini Mosque in Tehran to allow citizens to pay their last respects, before completing the burial procedures, which will take three days.
Khamenei's body is scheduled to be laid to rest in his hometown of Mashhad, in the northeast of the country, specifically next to the shrine of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, a site that also houses the remains of his father. Mashhad is considered the second spiritual capital of Iran, holding great religious and historical symbolism for Shiites, making its selection as a burial place an affirmation of the status the late leader enjoyed throughout his thirty-six-year rule.
In contrast, Israel escalated its hostile rhetoric, with Security Minister Israel Katz threatening to assassinate any figure chosen to succeed Khamenei if they continue the hostile approach towards Tel Aviv. Katz affirmed in official statements that any new leader who adopts plans to destroy Israel or threatens international interests would be a legitimate target for liquidation operations, emphasizing that security agencies would pursue new leaders wherever they hide.
On the internal Iranian front, informed sources revealed the formation of a temporary leadership council consisting of three prominent officials to steer the government and ensure the stability of institutions following the sudden vacancy in the leader's position. Ali Larijani, Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council, confirmed that this measure aims to manage the country's affairs pending the convening of the Assembly of Experts to elect a permanent successor, amid estimates indicating a potential conflict between the hardline revolutionary current and currents seeking political realism.
These developments come after the revelation of details of the military operation that led to Khamenei's death, in which about 200 fighter jets participated in a third wave of attacks described as the largest in decades. The attacking forces used advanced 'Black Sparrow' missiles to ensure penetration of fortifications in the official complex in Tehran, in an operation closely coordinated between Tel Aviv and Washington and included a precise distribution of strategic targets in the region.
Any leader chosen by the Iranian terrorist regime to continue the plan to destroy Israel will be a confirmed target for assassination, no matter their name or where they hide.
שתף את דעתך
Iran begins Khamenei's funeral rites, Israel threatens his successor with assassination