Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday claimed that the United States could no longer maintain what he described as a “trouble-free, domineering presence” in the Middle East.
“The Great Satan—the criminal US—has now realized that the continuation of its trouble-free, domineering presence in the region is nothing but a naive fantacy [sic],” Khamenei, who was chosen in March to succeed his slain father as supreme leader, wrote in a message to the Iraqi people.
Referring to what he described as tens of millions of mourners in Iran and Iraq attending his father’s funeral, Khamenei said it had “opened a new chapter of awakening and active engagement to alter the equations that had been designed by the Arrogant Powers.”
“Undoubtedly, the leaders of Global Arrogance witnessed the magnificent scenes of this massive gathering in Iraq with trepidation, seeing how the vast resources they’ve invested to undermine relations between the two nations have proved entirely futile and ineffective,” he added.
Burial ceremonies for Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening strike of “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” on Feb. 28, concluded on July 9 after a week of ceremonies across Iran and Iraq.
Mojtaba Khamenei did not make an appearance at any of the ceremonies.
The younger Khamenei was injured in the airstrike that killed his father. While it is generally believed that Mojtaba is still alive, he has not appeared in public since the start of the war, and no video or audio recordings of him have been released.
In a written statement released on July 11, Mojtaba vowed to avenge the killing of his father, saying those responsible “will carry their dream of a peaceful death in bed to the grave.”
“We pledge to avenge your pure blood and the blood of all the martyrs of these two wars by taking revenge against the criminal, disgraceful murderers,” Khamenei wrote in the statement.
“This vengeance is what our nation is demanding, and this must definitely be done,” he continued. “These criminals, whose names are fully documented from the highest to the lowest ranks, will carry their dream of a peaceful death in bed to the grave.”
