Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly-elected Leader of the Islamic Revolution, released his first message addressed to the Iranian nation, in which he vowed that Iran will not forgo taking vengeance for the blood of martyrs.
“I assure everyone that we will not forgo taking vengeance for the blood of your martyrs. The vengeance we intend is not solely related to the martyrdom of the great Leader of the Revolution; rather, every member of the nation martyred by the enemy is a separate subject for the vengeance file,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in the message, which is as follows:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
“Whatever sign We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring forth one better than it or like it.”
At the outset of my words, I must offer my condolences to my Master, may Allah the Exalted hasten his reappearance, on the occasion of the poignant martyrdom of the revered Leader of the Revolution, the cherished and wise (Ayatollah Seyed Ali) Khamenei. I request from His Holiness prayers for the well-being of each member of the great Iranian nation, indeed for all Muslims of the world, for all servants of Islam and the Revolution, for the martyrs and the bereaved families of the Islamic movement, especially those from the recent war, and particularly for myself.
The second part of my address is to the great nation of Iran. Firstly, I must briefly state my position and stance regarding the vote of the esteemed Assembly of Experts. I, your servant, Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, was informed of the outcome of the esteemed Assembly of Experts’ vote simultaneously with you, through the Islamic Republic’s television broadcast. For me, to sit upon a seat that was once occupied by two great leaders, Imam Khomeini the Great and the martyr Khamenei, is an arduous task. This is because this position holds the legacy of someone who, after more than 60 years of striving in the path of God and forgoing all manner of pleasures and comforts, transformed into a radiant gem and a distinguished figure, not only in the present era but throughout the history of this country’s rulers. Both his life and his manner of death were intertwined with a glory and dignity derived from reliance on truth.
I had the privilege of witnessing his body after his martyrdom. What I saw was a mountain of steadfastness, and I heard that the fist of his healthy hand was clenched. Regarding the various facets of his personality, informed individuals will need much time to speak extensively. In this brief moment, I shall suffice with this summary, deferring the details to more appropriate occasions. This is the reason for the difficulty of occupying the seat of leadership after such a person. Completing this transition is possible only with the help of the Almighty and your support, the people.
Furthermore, it is necessary to emphasize a point that directly relates to the core of my message. That point is that among the skills of the martyr Leader and his great predecessor was their ability to involve the people in all arenas, to continuously impart insight and awareness to them, and, in practice, to rely on their strength. They thus actualized the true meaning of republic and republicanism, and they believed in it wholeheartedly. The clear effect of this was seen in these past few days when the country was without a Leader and without a Supreme Commander. The insight and intelligence of the great Iranian nation in the recent event, its steadfastness, courage, and presence, prompted admiration from friends and bewilderment from enemies. It was you, the people, who led the country and guaranteed its authority.
The verse quoted at the beginning of this writing signifies that no divine sign is ever removed or forgotten by Allah the Exalted, except that something like it, or even better, is provided in its place by Him. The reason for using this noble verse is not to suggest that this servant is on par with the martyr Leader, let alone to assume I am superior to him; rather, the purpose of mentioning this blessed verse is to draw attention to the significant and prominent role of you, the dear nation. If that great blessing was taken from us, it was replaced by the renewed presence of the Iranian nation, akin to that of Ammar, in this system. Know this: if your power does not manifest in the scene, neither the leadership nor any of the various apparatuses—whose true function is to serve the people—will have the necessary efficacy.
For this meaning to be better realized: Firstly, one must view remembrance of Almighty God, reliance upon Him, and seeking intercession through the pure lights of the Infallibles (peace be upon them all) as the supreme elixir and the marvelous matchstick that guarantees all kinds of breakthroughs and certain victory over the enemy. This is a great advantage that you possess and your enemies lack, according to Tasnim.
Secondly, there must be no blow struck against the unity among all segments and strata of the nation, which typically becomes particularly evident in times of hardship. This will be achieved by overlooking points of difference.
Thirdly, effective presence in the scene must be maintained; both in the manner you have demonstrated in these days and nights of war, and in the form of various effective roles in different social, political, educational, cultural, and even security spheres. The important thing is that the correct role, without compromising social unity, is well understood and implemented as much as possible. One of the duties of the leadership and some other officials is to remind individuals or groups of society about some of these roles. Therefore, I wish to emphasize the importance of attending the Quds Day rallies in 1447 AH (on Friday, March 13, 2026), where the element of defeating the enemy must be the focus for all.
Fourthly, do not refrain from helping and assisting one another. Praise be to God, this has always been a characteristic of most Iranians, and it is expected that in these special times, which naturally affect some members of the nation more than others, this matter will be even more prominent. In this context, I urge the service institutions not to withhold any assistance or support from those dear members of the nation and popular aid structures.
If these aspects are heeded, the path for you, the dear nation, to attain days of greatness and glory will be smoothed. The nearest manifestation of this, God willing, can be victory over the enemy in the current war.
The third part of my address is a sincere thank you to our brave combatants, who, under circumstances where our nation and beloved homeland are being innocently attacked by the leaders of the arrogance front, have blocked the enemy’s path with their devastating blows, dispelling their illusion of being able to dominate our cherished homeland and potentially partition it.
Dear brother combatants! The will of the masses is for continued effective and punishing defense. Similarly, the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used. Studies have been conducted regarding the opening of other fronts where the enemy has little experience and will be extremely vulnerable, and their activation will be considered if the war situation continues and in accordance with expediency.
I also extend my sincere gratitude to the combatants of the Resistance Front. We consider the countries of the Resistance Front our best friends, and the cause of resistance and the Resistance Front is an inseparable part of the values of the Islamic Revolution. Undoubtedly, the cooperation of the components of this front with each other shortens the path to salvation from the Zionist sedition, just as we saw the brave and faithful Yemen not cease defending the oppressed people of Gaza, and the devoted Hezbollah, despite all obstacles, coming to the aid of the Islamic Republic. The Iraqi resistance has also valiantly adopted the same path.
My address in the fourth part is to those who have been harmed in some way during these past few days. This includes those who have experienced the martyrdom of a loved one or loved ones, those who have suffered injuries, and individuals whose homes or places of business have been damaged. In this section, firstly, I express my deep sympathy to the bereaved families of the esteemed martyrs. This is based on a shared experience I have with these noble individuals. Besides my father, whose loss has become a public sorrow, I have entrusted my dear and loyal wife, in whom I had placed many hopes, my devoted sister who dedicated herself to serving our parents and ultimately received her reward, along with her young child, and the husband of my other sister, a learned and honorable person, to the caravan of martyrs. However, what makes enduring calamities possible, and even easy, is to focus on God’s certain and definitive promise of a great reward for those who are patient. Therefore, we must be patient and place our hope and trust in the grace and assistance of the Almighty.
Secondly, I assure everyone that we will not forgo taking vengeance for the blood of your martyrs. The vengeance we intend is not solely related to the martyrdom of the great Leader of the Revolution; rather, every member of the nation martyred by the enemy is a separate subject for the vengeance file. Of course, a limited amount of this vengeance has materialized so far, but until its full extent is achieved, this file will remain on top of other matters, and we will have particular sensitivity regarding the blood of our children. Therefore, the crime deliberately committed by the enemy at the Shajareh Tayyebah school in Minab and similar incidents holds a special significance in this regard.
Thirdly, those injured in these attacks must certainly receive appropriate medical services free of charge and benefit from certain other privileges.
Fourthly, to the extent that the current situation allows, sufficient measures must be defined and implemented to compensate for the financial damages incurred to personal properties and locations. The last two points are considered mandatory duties for the esteemed officials, which they must execute and report back to me.
A point I must emphasize is that, in any case, we will exact reparations from the enemy. If they refuse, we will seize as much of their assets as we deem appropriate, and if that is not possible, we will destroy an equivalent amount of their assets.
The fifth part of my address is directed towards the leaders and influential figures in some of the region’s countries. We share borders, by land or sea, with 15 countries and have always been, and continue to be, willing to have warm and constructive relations with all of them. However, for years, the enemy has been gradually establishing bases, both military and financial, in some of these countries to secure its dominance over the region. In the recent invasion, some military bases were utilized, and naturally, as we had explicitly warned and without targeting those countries, we attacked only those bases. Henceforth, we will be compelled to continue this course of action, although we still believe in the necessity of friendship between ourselves and our neighbors. These countries must clarify their position with the aggressors against our beloved homeland and the killers of our people. I recommend they close those bases as soon as possible because they must have understood by now that the American claim of establishing security and peace was nothing but a lie.
This will lead to greater connection with their own peoples, who are generally dissatisfied with siding with the front of disbelief and its contemptuous behavior, and will increase their wealth and power. I repeat again: the Islamic Republic system, without intending to establish dominance or colonialism in the region, is fully prepared for unity and warm, sincere, mutual relations with all its neighbors.
In the sixth part of my address, I speak to our martyred leader. Leader! With your departure, you have placed a heavy burden on everyone’s heart. You always yearned for this end, and finally, the Almighty granted it to you while you were reciting the Holy Quran on the morning of the tenth of Ramadan al-Mubarak. You endured many oppressions powerfully and with forbearance, without ever flinching. Many did not recognize your true worth, and perhaps much time will pass before the veils and obstacles are removed, and some aspects of your significance become clear.
We hope that, through the proximity you have attained in the presence of the pure, the truthful, the martyrs, and the saints, you will continue to think of the progress of this nation and all the nations of the Resistance Front, and intercede for it, just as you did during your earthly life. We pledge to you that we will strive with all our being to elevate this banner, which is the true banner of the front of truth, and to achieve your sacred objectives.
In the seventh part, I thank all the esteemed individuals who have supported me, including the Grand Maraji’ (sources of emulation), various cultural, political, and social figures, and all the people who have gathered in magnificent rallies to express renewed allegiance to the system. I also thank the officials of the three branches of government and the interim leadership council for their sound policies and actions.
I hope that the special divine favors will encompass all the people of Iran, and indeed all Muslims and the oppressed of the world, during these precious hours, days, and the holy month of Ramadan.
And finally, I request our Master, may Allah hasten his reappearance, to ask of the Almighty, during the remaining nights and days of Qadr and the holy month of Ramadan, for our nation, decisive victory over the enemy, and honor, prosperity, and well-being. And for those who have passed on, I ask for elevated status and eternal well-being.
