Iran vows revenge for Khamenei death and warns Trump will ‘pay the price’ | World | News
Iran warns of revenge Donald Trump The country’s media warns that the US President will “pay the price” following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. IranianPresident Massoud Pezeshkian said Khamenei’s killing signaled “an open war against Muslims, especially Shiites, in every corner of the world.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it its legitimate duty and right to shed blood and take revenge on the perpetrators and commanders of this crime, and it will fulfill this great responsibility and duty with all its might.”
Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency confirmed Khamenei’s death early Sunday. US President Donald Trump he said this gave Iranians the “best chance” of “taking back” their country.
An Iranian state television anchor reportedly said the following when making the announcement: “Trump will pay a price no American president has ever paid in history. Revenge is on the way.”
The death of the religious leader is likely to throw Iran’s future into uncertainty and worsen already growing concerns about a broader conflict.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin called Khamenei’s killing “a cynical violation of all norms of human decency and international law.”
According to China’s official Xinhua News Agency, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that “the blatant killing of the leader of a sovereign state and the incitement of regime change are unacceptable.”
“These actions violate international law and fundamental norms governing international relations,” he said.
Fears that the conflict could spread were further raised on Sunday when British Defense Secretary John Healey said Iranian missile and drone strikes had come within a few hundred meters of 300 British military personnel in Bahrain.
He even said that two missiles were fired towards Cyprus, where Britain has bases. Mr Healey told Sky News: “We don’t believe they are targeting Cyprus, but nevertheless this is an example of what a real and growing threat there is from a regime that is attacking broadly across the region and requires us to take action.”
British aircraft will stop any Iranian drones and missiles they see, the Defense Secretary said.
Meanwhile, top diplomats from the 27 European Union countries were holding an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation and next steps for the bloc.
Pope Leo XIV said he was “deeply concerned” by US and Israeli attacks on Iran. He called on both sides to “stop the spiral of violence before it turns into an irreparable abyss.”
At the UN Security Council meeting on Saturday, the UN chief and many countries called for a halt to attacks and a return to negotiations to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Secretary-General António Guterres told the council that everything must be done to prevent tensions. He warned: “The alternative is a broader potential conflict that could have serious consequences for civilians and regional stability.”
