TEHRAN: The Iranian military has issued a stark warning of revenge following the death of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who state media reports was martyred in an attack on Saturday.
In an official statement released shortly after the news was confirmed, the Iranian army condemned the strike on the nation’s leadership as a “serious act of aggression” that will be met with the full force of the Islamic Republic’s military power.
“The attack on the country’s leadership is a serious act and will be responded to with a full and decisive response,” the army’s statement read. “The aggressor will be punished in any case.”
The statement vowed that every possible measure would be taken to defend Iran’s sovereignty and security, declaring unequivocally that “the enemy will have to pay the price for this action.”
According to Iranian state media, Ayatollah Khamenei was martyred in strikes attributed to the United States and Israel on Saturday. The reports stated that the Supreme Leader was killed in his own office during the attack.
In the wake of the confirmation, the Iranian government has announced a period of national mourning. A seven-day national holiday has been declared, alongside a traditional 40-day mourning period to honor the fallen leader. The streets of Tehran and other major cities are reported to be filled with mourners, as the nation grapples with the shocking assassination of its highest authority and prepares for the promised retaliation from its military.
