A message was issued on Iranian state media purportedly from Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Thursday, claiming "retaliation" is coming for "every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy."
"I assure everyone that we will not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs. The retaliation we have in mind is not limited only to the martyrdom of the great leader of the Revolution; rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes a separate case in the file of revenge," the message stated.
"A limited portion of this retaliation has already taken tangible form, but until it is fully achieved, this file will remain open above other cases. We will be especially sensitive regarding the blood of our children. Therefore, the crime the enemy deliberately committed against the Shajareh-Tayyebeh school in Minab, and some similar cases, holds a special status in this process of accountability."
The message later added, "The lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used as well. Studies have also been conducted on opening other fronts in which the enemy has little experience and would be highly vulnerable. Their activation will take place, if the wartime situation continues and in accordance with considerations of expediency."
The statement comes after Khamenei did not appear at his succession rally in Tehran on Monday, and reports have claimed that Khamenei was actually in a coma at Sina University Hospital. A source alleged to The Sun, "One or two of his legs have been cut off. His liver or stomach has also ruptured. He is apparently in a coma as well." Other sources have insisted that Khamenei has only suffered minor injuries such as a fractured foot and facial lacerations from US airstrikes.
The statement also demanded that US bases in the region be closed down. "The existence of the US bases in some of these countries and usage of those bases to attack Iran is not benefiting the region and they must be closed. As we said, we are not an enemy of the countries around us, and we are only targeting the bases of those Americans," the statement said.
