Revenge, warnings and Hormuz talks: Iran sends defiant message after Khamenei's death
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Revenge, warnings and Hormuz talks: Iran sends defiant message after Khamenei's death")
A handout picture released by the Iraqi prime minister's office shows Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi (C) attending an anti-drug conference held with regional officials in Baghdad on July 22, 2024 Photograph: (AFP)
Following Khamenei's burial, Iran's leaders issued defiant warnings to Israel and the US, promising retaliation for the commander's deaths while simultaneously sending a diplomatic delegation to Oman for regional talks.
Iran has hardened its stance against both Israel and the US, with senior military and political leaders issuing fresh warnings following Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's burial and ahead of renewed regional diplomacy. A day after Khamenei was laid to rest, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi vowed that those responsible for the deaths of the late supreme leader and several senior Iranian military commanders would face punishment.
According to Iranian media reports on Friday (July 10), Vahidi said holding accountable those who "carried out, ordered or supported" the killings remained a "certain, legitimate and unforgettable demand" for Iran. The remarks come as Tehran seeks to balance its hardline rhetoric with diplomatic efforts in the Gulf.
State-run IRNA reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Oman on Saturday to head a diplomatic delegation for talks on regional developments, with a particular focus on the Strait of Hormuz. The report did not disclose details of the planned meetings or identify the officials Araghchi is expected to meet.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that Tehran would retaliate if the United States failed to honour its understanding with Iran. Speaking during a meeting with Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Ahmad Muzani on Friday, Ghalibaf said that negotiations with Washington should be conducted only by those "prepared for war". He added that he had told the US vice president during negotiations that Iran had no trust in the US.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
Ghalibaf said Iran had never compromised on its military preparedness and would respond decisively if Washington violated the terms of the memorandum. He also claimed that the United States, Israel and NATO had failed to force Iran into surrender during the recent conflict, insisting that the war would not end with Tehran capitulating.
The statements underscore Tehran's increasingly confrontational messaging even as it pursues diplomatic engagement over one of the world's most strategically important waterways, the Strait of Hormuz.
