United States President Donald Trump has threatened to “decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” if he faces any assassination attempt, as a statement from the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei says avenging his slain predecessor and father is “the demand of the nation” and “must certainly” take place.
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers,” Khamenei wrote in the statement, which was read on state television.
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Khamenei, who senior sources have said suffered facial disfigurement and other injuries in the US-Israeli strike that killed his father and four other family members, has not been seen by Iranians since he was appointed supreme leader on March 8. There was no sign of him during the week-long series of processions and formal funeral events for his father that culminated in the former supreme leader’s burial late on Thursday.
At least 15 million people thronged the streets for funeral processions in Tehran and Qom in Iran, and Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, before the final burial in Mashhad late on Thursday. Iranian sources have claimed the total was more than 30 million.
Banners and chants calling for Trump to be killed were widespread at the events.
In a typically bellicose post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump wrote: “1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!”
He added: “Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran – PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”
Israel warned the US earlier in the week about a new and specific Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, US media reported.
Sources told CNN that the new Israeli intelligence detailed a highly specific, active plot. The Wall Street Journal also confirmed the threat was “fresh”.
Threats and talks
But despite his fiery rhetoric, and his insistence that the provisional ceasefire with Tehran has been over since Iranian attacks on Qatari and Saudi tankers near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday led to US air strikes on Iran for two nights and retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks, Trump said talks on finalising a peace deal were continuing.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” Trump wrote.
In response to the mounting pressure from Washington, Iran’s lead negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated that Tehran would never surrender to the US. He emphasised that Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself if Washington backs out of the Pakistani-brokered memorandum of understanding that underpins the unravelling ceasefire.
“We have never stopped preparing to defend our country, and if at any moment the Americans betray the understanding, we are ready for full-scale defence,” Ghalibaf said. “Ending the war is a priority for the countries of the world, but everyone should know that this conflict will never end with Iran’s surrender.”
Despite the exchange of ultimatums and a wave of US air attacks on five Iranian provinces earlier in the week, high-stakes diplomatic talks are continuing behind the scenes, and Qatari mediators have travelled to Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman on Saturday for talks on safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, state media said, as Washington seeks a public pledge of free transit.
US negotiators including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to meet Araghchi on Saturday.
Iran’s Fars news agency later quoted a source that said no negotiations would take place until the US retreated from its positions.
A US official has told Al Jazeera that despite launching attacks on two days this week, Washington remains committed to negotiations with Tehran.
“There is a flurry of diplomatic activity to rescue the stalled talks following the latest round of de-escalation,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tehran.
“However, Iranian officials remain highly sceptical of American intentions, especially after the latest US strikes and President Trump’s statements.”
Al Jazeera correspondent Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC, said “the United States insists that for there to be a deal, Iran must agree to nuclear limits and deliver its nuclear material. Senior US officials say conversations have been productive, but they have issued an ultimatum following recent Iranian targeting of commercial vessels.”
