Mojtaba Khamenei Vows Revenge for Father’s Killing as Trump Threatens 1,000 Missiles
Updated
Updated · TIME · Jul 11
Mojtaba Khamenei Vows Revenge for Father’s Killing as Trump Threatens 1,000 Missiles
3 articles · Updated · TIME · Jul 11
Summary
Mojtaba Khamenei, in only his second public statement, said Iran would avenge those killed with his father and warned the “criminal” attackers would not die peacefully.
Trump answered with a threat to “decimate and destroy” Iran, saying 1,000 missiles were “locked and loaded” if Tehran tried to assassinate him.
The exchange followed Israeli intelligence shared with Washington that Iran was exploring assassination plots, though experts said public evidence for that claim remains limited.
Analysts said Tehran’s revenge rhetoric also serves domestic politics after Ali Khamenei’s death and the Strait of Hormuz crisis, while still raising the risk of proxy or lone-wolf violence.
That risk has already tightened Trump’s security after multiple recent threats and foiled plots, with the Secret Service treating all such threats as initially credible.
How will a new leader's personal vow of revenge shape Iran's escalating conflict with the United States?
With a fragile ceasefire shattered, can mediators prevent all-out war in the world's most vital oil chokepoint?
The 2026 US-Israeli Strike on Iran: Khamenei’s Assassination, Regional War, and the Fragmentation of Iran’s Axis of Resistance
Overview
The regional crisis began with a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other top officials. This triggered a rapid escalation, plunging the region into major conflict as Iran faced expanding attacks from the US and Israel. In response, Iran quickly named Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader, but his succession was controversial and challenged by internal and external pressures. The aftermath saw widespread violence, a fragmented network of Iranian allies, and ongoing diplomatic efforts, all rooted in the initial airstrike and its far-reaching consequences.