US President Donald Trump has issued another stern warning regarding Iran. He claimed that the country’s remaining top leadership was gathered in one place for the funeral and state mourning ceremonies of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He remarked that he could kill them all in a single strike if he wished, but stated he would not do so, as there would be no one left for negotiations. Iran reacted sharply to Trump’s comments; the Iranian Embassy in Armenia posted on the social media platform X, stating, “People can be killed, but an ideology cannot.”
In an interview with the US-based news outlet Axios, Trump said, “They are all there. One strike is enough; we could take them all out. But we won’t, because then there would be no one left to negotiate with. They have become desperate for a deal.” He further claimed that both sides had decided to suspend talks for a week until Khamenei’s burial was concluded, noting that neither side would attack the other during this period. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who served as Iran’s Supreme Leader for 36 years, was killed on February 28—the day attacks by the US and Israel began.
That attack marked the beginning of a war in the Middle East. Since March, there had been much speculation regarding the schedule for his state funeral. Under Islamic Sharia law, burial usually takes place within 24 hours of death, but this rule was waived due to the state of war. Instead, Iran began Khamenei’s state mourning ceremonies on July 4, the day marking the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. As part of this, religious ceremonies are scheduled for July 7 in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran. The entire program will conclude on July 9 with his burial in Mashhad—his birthplace and a holy city in the northeast. Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered on the streets of Iran during this time, making Khamenei’s final farewell one of the most closely watched events in the world. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were seen in tears during Saturday’s farewell ceremony. Trump expressed surprise at the sight of Iranian leaders weeping, remarking, “I thought people hated Khamenei.” He then added, “Perhaps the tears are fake.” Earlier, Trump had stated that the United States had granted Iran a “one-week break” for Khamenei’s funeral. He said, “We defeated Venezuela in a single day and struck Iran devastatingly. They are now desperate for a deal.”
“They are so eager for a deal that—because we are good people—we granted them a week’s time for the funeral.”
Meanwhile, media reports citing a representative in India indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei—who has assumed the role of Iran’s Supreme Leader—will not attend his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral due to security concerns. According to the reports, Ayatollah Hakim Elahi stated that it would be extremely dangerous for Mojtaba Khamenei to appear in public given the risks of potential Israeli attacks and surveillance. However, there has been no official announcement from the Iranian government regarding this matter.
“People can be killed, but not an ideology”
The Iranian Embassy in Armenia has strongly criticized comments made by US President Donald Trump regarding the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In a post on the social media platform X, the embassy stated that while people can be killed, an ideology cannot. The post added that even though Khamenei has been killed, his ideology and legacy will endure. The embassy wrote, “You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a bottle of perfume, and its fragrance has spread everywhere.” The embassy also directed harsh criticism at Trump personally, stating, “You would not understand these matters, for you possess neither civilization, nor history, nor honor.” These remarks were made in response to comments Trump had previously made regarding the crowds attending Khamenei’s farewell ceremony.
