Iran Vows Retaliation After Khamenei Killed in U.S.-Israeli Strike
President Pezeshkian says the Islamic Republic has both a right and a duty to respond as an interim leadership council assumes authority following the Supreme Leader's death.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday vowed retaliation after Iran confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who Iranian officials said was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike.
In a televised address, Pezeshkian described the attack as unlawful and accused the United States and Israel of aggression against Iran. He said Tehran considered it both a right and a duty to respond.
The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to avenge the perpetrators and masterminds of this historic crime.
— Masoud Pezeshkian
The Iranian president warned that those involved in the operation would face consequences, stating that the attack would not go unanswered. He also sought to reassure the public that the country’s political system remained stable despite the loss of its most senior leader.
Pezeshkian said a temporary leadership council established under Article 111 of Iran’s constitution had begun its work. The council includes the president, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei and cleric Alireza Arafi. The body is responsible for overseeing the transition until a successor is selected. He said the killing had strengthened national unity and would not weaken the Iranian state.
The president further described the killing as an attack extending beyond Iran itself, characterizing it as an assault on Shiite Muslims and calling for solidarity among supporters of the Islamic Republic throughout the region.
His remarks came amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that any further attacks by Iran or its allies could trigger a stronger U.S. response. Iranian state media reported that Tehran rejected the warning and said it reserved the right to respond to what it described as an act of aggression.
Regional media and government officials reported military activity involving Iranian forces and Iran-aligned groups in several parts of the Middle East, though the full extent of the operations remained unclear. Governments across the Middle East continued to monitor and assess developments following Khamenei’s death amid concerns that the confrontation could widen beyond Iran and its immediate allies.
