Days after Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei took over from his dead father, and affected by injuries sustained in a US strike, he released his first message of vengeance for his war-ravaged homeland.
Iran’s recent Supreme Leader said in a written statement: ‘I assure everyone that we are going to not refrain from avenging the blood of your martyrs.
‘The revenge we’re considering shouldn’t be only related to the martyrdom of the good leader of the revolution; somewhat, every member of the nation who’s martyred by the enemy is an independent subject for the revenge case.’
The message was released by Iranian state television, despite claims he’s lost one leg and suffered serious abdominal injuries in a US-Israeli air strike that worn out his family. Some reports say he’s in a coma.
He promised to avenge the victims of the American Tomahawk strike on Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school that killed 175 children.
He added: ‘In fact, a limited amount of this revenge has to date taken concrete form, but until it’s fully achieved, this case will proceed to be on top of other cases, and we can be especially sensitive to the blood of our kids and grandchildren.’
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It stays unclear when Mojtaba suffered the injuries, however the reports come just days after he was appointed to take over from his father, Ali Khamenei.
Gathering for Ramadan in the identical bunker, Mojtaba Khamenei’s father, Ali Khamenei, mother, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, his wife of 20 years, Zahra and one among his sons, reported as Mohammad, were all killed within the strike that launched the war in late February.
Speaking of seeing his dead father, he said: ‘I had the chance to go to his body after his martyrdom; what I saw was a mountain of strength, and I heard that his healthy hand was clenched in a fist.
‘Those that know him may have to say so much in regards to the various features of his personality.’
(Picture: via REUTERS)
In that strike, Mojtaba suffered a fractured foot, a bruise around his left eye, in addition to minor lacerations to his face, a source acquainted with the situation told CNN.
Referring to US and Israeli forces as ‘smug’, he said: ‘Thanks to our brave warriors who, in circumstances where our beloved nation and homeland have been unjustly attacked by the leaders of the smug front, have blocked the enemy’s path with their crushing blows and have removed them from the illusion of the potential of dominating our beloved homeland and possibly dividing it.’
He said his forces would proceed to strike ships within the Strait of Hormuz, which has caused chaos in global oil prices.
‘Dear brothers in arms! The desire of the masses is to proceed the effective and regrettable defence.
‘Also, the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used. Studies have been conducted on opening other fronts where the enemy has little experience and can be extremely vulnerable, and their activation will happen if the war situation continues.’
He added: ‘We are going to seek compensation from the enemy, and if he refuses, we are going to take as much of his property as we determine, and if that shouldn’t be possible, we are going to destroy the identical amount of his property.’
He claimed to have came upon he was voted in as the brand new Ayotollah on state television, like the remaining of the nation. The injured leader thanked neighbours in Yemen and 13 other countries within the ‘Resistance Front’ for continuing to defend oppressed Muslims.
He warned: ‘The enemy has been step by step establishing military and financial bases in a few of these countries for years to be able to secure its dominance over the region.
‘Within the recent attack, some military bases were used, and naturally, as we had explicitly warned, we simply attacked those bases without attacking those countries.
‘Any more, we are going to inevitably proceed to achieve this, although we still imagine in the necessity for friendship between ourselves and people neighbours.’
Reports appear to point out that he’s searching for treatment within the intensive care unit at Sina University Hospital in Tehran.
One anonymous source told The Sun: ‘One or two of his legs have been cut off. His liver or stomach has also ruptured.’
It stays unclear if the injuries are from the initial February strike and were more severe than initially reported, or in the event that they are from a brand new air strike.
The news comes a day after fears surfaced that Mojtaba could seek ‘personal revenge’ after his relations were killed in strikes.
Dr Katayoun Shahandeh, a Lecturer within the history of Art and Museology, told Metro: ‘It is extremely likely that retaliation and resistance will turn out to be central themes in Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership, not less than in rhetoric.
‘The strikes that killed the previous Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (Mojtaba’s father) and members of his family will inevitably shape the political atmosphere in Tehran.
‘Reports suggest that Mojtaba himself was injured in the identical attack and lost close relatives, which makes the moment not only political but deeply personal.’
Earlier today, Iran struck two oil tankers with explosives, causing them to burst into flames off the coast of Iraq.
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The boats are believed to be laden with explosives and are unmanned, just like drones – except on water.
Around 1.30 am local time, Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Zefyroswere were hit by an ‘unknown projectile’ off the coast of Iraq, in line with the UK Maritime Trade Operation.
38 crew members were rescued, and one person died, in line with Iraqi news agencies.
One other container ship was hit overnight off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, catching fire – however the crew is protected.
Iraq’s director general of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, said: ‘Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were subjected to unidentified attacks inside territorial waters, causing them to catch fire.’
Iraq has since stopped all ports which import and export oil, but said business ports which serve container ships will proceed to operate as normal.
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