01.07.2026 06:40
Iranian cleric Mohsen Ghanbarian said that if the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not avenged, Iran's new religious leader and senior officials will live under constant threat. Targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ghanbarian also claimed that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is on the assassination list. There has been no official confirmation from Israel regarding this claim.
Mohsen Ghanbarian, a prominent religious figure from Iran's conservative clerical wing, made striking remarks following the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ghanbarian stated that if the assassination goes unanswered, Iran's leadership would live under constant threat.
"IF REVENGE IS NOT TAKEN, LEADERS WILL HAVE TO HIDE"
Speaking at an event in Tehran, Ghanbarian argued that if no retaliation is made for Khamenei's assassination, the security of Iran's new supreme leader and senior state officials can never be guaranteed.
Ghanbarian said, "If we do not avenge the killing of our leader, the current leader and other leaders of the Islamic Republic will have to live in hiding forever. This is very clear."
POINTED TO NETANYAHU
In his speech, Ghanbarian also targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming that Iranian officials are threatened during their overseas contacts.
The cleric, alleging that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is also a target, stated, "Officials who went to Geneva saw the same message we did. They were told, 'If you don't make a deal, you won't be able to return to your country.' Mr. Ghalibaf is now on Netanyahu's assassination list." There has been no confirmation of this claim from Israeli authorities.
TENSION PERSISTS AFTER ASSASSINATION
Iranian state media had officially confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint operation by the US and Israel. Following Khamenei's death, a 40-day mourning period was declared in the country, and the Iranian administration announced it would not leave the attack unanswered.
As leadership changes occur in Iran after the assassination, the country's administration continues its messages of retaliation against those responsible for the attack. President Masoud Pezeshkian also previously stated that responding to Khamenei's killing is Iran's "legitimate right and duty."
REGIONAL TENSION RISING
Experts assess that the latest statements from senior Iranian figures keep Tehran's retaliation rhetoric alive and increase the risk of a new escalation in the Middle East. The crisis that began after Khamenei's assassination has moved tensions among the US, Israel, and Iran to a new level.
Summary: Iranian cleric Mohsen Ghanbarian said that if the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not avenged, Iran's new leader and senior officials will live under constant threat. Ghanbarian also claimed that Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assassination list. This claim has not been confirmed by independent sources.