Statement From The Supreme Leader Of Iran

We bring you the first statement of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei

At the beginning of my words, I must offer my condolences to my Imam Mahdi, may God hasten his reappearance, on the occasion of the heart-wrenching martyrdom of the Great Leader of the Revolution, the beloved and wise Khamenei.

I request from His Eminence his blessed prayers for every individual of the great nation of Iran, and indeed for all the Muslims of the world, all servants of Islam and the Revolution, the devoted (Isar-garan), the survivors of the martyrs of the Islamic Movement—especially those of the recent war—and for my own humble self.

On the Decision of the Assembly of Experts
The 2nd part of my address is to the great nation of Iran. Initially, I must briefly state my position regarding the vote of the honorable Assembly of Experts.

I, your servant, Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, learned of the result of the Assembly's vote at the same time as you, through the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).

For me, to lean upon a place that was the seat of 2 great leaders—the Great Khomeini and the Martyred Khamenei—is a difficult task.

This seat carries the history of one who, after more than 60 years of revolutionary struggle in the way of God and forgoing all types of pleasures and comforts, became a luminous gem and a distinguished figure, not only in the current era but throughout the history of this country’s rulers.

Both his life and the manner of his death were intertwined with a glory and honor born of relying on the Truth.

I had the honor of visiting his body after his martyrdom; what I saw was a mountain of steadfastness, and I heard that he had clenched the fist of his healthy hand.

Regarding the various facets of his personality, those with knowledge must speak for a long time. In this brief space, I suffice with this summary and leave the details for other appropriate occasions.

This is the reason for the difficulty of leaning on the chair of leadership after such a person; bridging this gap is possible only through the assistance of the Almighty and the help of you, the people.

The Power of the People and the Concept of the Republic I must emphasize a point directly related to the essence of my message.

Among the arts of the Martyred Leader and his Great Predecessor was bringing the people into all arenas, providing them with continuous insight and awareness, and relying on their power in practice.

They actualized the true meaning of "The Public" and "Republicanism" and believed in it from the depths of their souls.

The clear effect of this was seen during these few days when the country was without a Leader and without a Commander-in-Chief.

The insight and intelligence of the great Iranian nation in the recent event, and their steadfastness, courage, and presence, forced friends to admire and enemies to wonder. It was you, the people, who led the country and guaranteed its authority.
The verse I cited at the beginning of this text means that no Divine Sign is ended or forgotten unless the Almighty provides something similar to it or better in its place.

The relevance of using this noble verse is not to suggest that this humble servant is on the level of the Martyred Leader, let alone superior to him; rather, it is to draw attention to the timely and prominent role of you, the dear nation. If that great blessing was taken from us, in its place, the "Ammar-like" presence of the Iranian nation was once again granted to this system.

Know that if your power does not appear on the scene, neither the Leadership nor any of the various apparatuses—whose real status is to serve the people—will have the necessary effectiveness. To better realize this:

Trust in God: Remembrance of God, reliance on Him, and seeking the intercession of the Infallibles (AS) must be viewed as the "Great Elixir" that guarantees all kinds of openings and certain victory over the enemy.

Unity: No damage should be done to the unity between the individuals and strata of the nation. This is achieved by looking past points of contention.

Presence on the Scene: Effective presence must be maintained, whether in the form you showed during these days and nights of war, or through various roles in social, political, educational, and security fields. I remind you of the importance of attending the Quds Day 1447 (2026) ceremonies, where the element of "breaking the enemy" must be noticed by all.

Mutual Aid: Do not withhold help from one another. I ask service organizations to not spare any assistance to the people and popular relief structures during these difficult days.
Military Matters and the Resistance Front is the 3rd part of my speech, in a sincere thank you to our brave warriors.

In conditions where our nation and dear homeland have been oppressedly attacked by the heads of the "Front of Arrogance," they have blocked the enemy's path with crushing blows.

Dear brothers in arms! The demand of the masses is the continuation of effective and "regret-inducing" defense.

Furthermore, the lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used.

We have carried out studies regarding opening other fronts where the enemy has little experience and is highly vulnerable; these will be activated if the state of war continues.

I also sincerely thank the fighters of the Resistance Front.

We consider the countries of the Resistance Front our best friends. Undoubtedly, the synergy of this front will shorten the path to deliverance from the "Zionist sedition," as we saw brave Yemen, the devoted Hezbollah, and the courageous Iraqi resistance take this line.

Personal Loss and the Promise of Revenge— The 4th part of my speech is to those who have been harmed in these past few days—those grieving martyrs, the wounded, and those whose homes or businesses were damaged.

Firstly, I express my deep sympathy with the survivors. This is based on a shared experience; aside from my father, whose loss has become a public mourning, I have consigned to the caravan of martyrs:

* My dear and faithful wife, in whom I had great hopes.
* My self-sacrificing sister, who devoted herself to her parents.
* Her young child.
* The husband of my other sister, who was a scholarly and noble human being.

What makes patience possible is the certain Divine promise of a great reward for the patient.
Secondly, I assure everyone that we will not forgo avenging the blood of your martyrs. The revenge we have in mind is not only for the Supreme Leader; every member of the nation killed by the enemy is an independent case for revenge. We will be particularly sensitive to the blood of our children. The crime the enemy intentionally committed regarding the Shajareh Tayyibah School in Minab holds a special status in this reckoning.

Furthermore, I mandate officials to provide free medical services to the disabled of these attacks and to implement plans to compensate for financial losses to private property.

We will take reparations from the enemy; if they refuse, we will take from their assets or destroy them to an equal extent.

To Regional Countries—The 5th part is addressed to the leaders of certain regional countries.

We have land or sea borders with 15 countries and have always desired constructive relations.

However, the enemy has built military and financial bases in some of your countries.
In the recent attack, some of these bases were used.

As we warned, we attacked only those bases without targeting the host countries.

We will continue this if necessary.

I recommend you close those bases as soon as possible, as it is clear that America’s claim of providing security is a lie.

A Final Word to the Martyred Leader—Leader! Your passing has left a heavy scar on all hearts. You always yearned for this end, until the Almighty granted it to you while reciting the Holy Quran on the morning of the 10th of Ramadan.

Many did not know your true worth. We vow to strive with all our being to raise this flag—the main flag of the Front of Truth.

Finally, I thank the Grand Maraji' (Religious Authorities), the heads of the three branches of government, and the Temporary Leadership Council for their measures. I ask our Master (Imam Mahdi) to seek from the Almighty decisive victory over the enemy and health and prosperity for our nation.
Peace be upon you, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings.

Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei