Hails Funeral Turnout, Says Hussaini Passion Has ‘Revived the Nation’

TEHRAN – New Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei issued an important pledge on Saturday to avenge the blood of martyred Leader Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and all those martyred alongside him, declaring that the “criminal and disgraced murderers” have been identified and will not die peacefully in their beds.
The pledge came in a message issued at the conclusion of the funeral ceremonies for the martyred leader, in which Ayatollah Khamenei expressed his gratitude for the “astonishing, enemy-breaking and historic” turnout of tens of millions of Iranians and Iraqis who participated in the funeral processions. 
Directly addressing his late father, the Leader said the revenge is the sacred duty of the nation.
“We Left: New Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei is seen with martyred Leader Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei in an undated photo. Right: Mourners carry a banner on July 9, 2026. pledge to avenge your pure blood and the blood of all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced murderers,” Ayatollah Khamenei stated in the message, referring to the U.S.-Israeli 12-day war in June 2025 and 40-day war that began in February.
“This revenge is the will of our nation, and it will inevitably be fulfilled. These criminals, whose names we have recorded from the first to the last, will carry with them to their graves the unfulfilled wish of dying peacefully in their beds,” he added.
He emphasized that this vengeance does not depend on his own existence or that of other officials. “Whether we exist or not, this matter will be realized, and soon groups of free people around the world will each carry out a part of this divine mission.”
The Leader expressed sincere gratitude for the “astonishing, enemy-breaking, and historic” presence of tens of millions of people in the cities and villages of Iran and Iraq – particularly Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad – during the funeral ceremonies. 
He described the gatherings as a “life-giving uproar” that echoes the call of Imam Hussain (AS) and his cry of “Is there any helper to help me?”
Ayatollah Khamenei described the martyred Leader as one who “grew with the same Hussaini path”.
“He was Hussaini, he thought like Hussain, he moved like Hussain, he waged jihad and resistance like Hussain, he lived like Hussain, and he sacrificed his blood in the path of Hussain’s school and attained martyrdom.”
He noted that among the Hussainis are those whose blood, when “martyred oppressively in the path of Hussain,” moves the Islamic Ummah to action, “connecting to Ashura in time and to Karbala in place.”
“Now, the same Hussaini passion has revived our nation and given a new manifestation to the school of the great Khomeini and the martyred Khamenei,” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the Iranian nation has long sacrificed its children in the path of Hussain and in war against the enemies of Hussain and his school.
“Our nation is the blood avenger of Hussain. This great nation has for years sacrificed its children in the path of Hussain and in war against the enemies of Hussain and the Hussaini path.”
In his address to the martyred Imam of the Ummah, the Leader pledged: “With tearful eyes and broken hearts, as we bid farewell to your body, we pledge with you to honor your school, to steadfastly tread the straight path you charted, not to fear hardships along this way and place our trust, as you did, in God’s promises.”
Addressing the “Martyred Imam of the Ummah,” the Leader declared: “May the drinking of the cup of martyrdom, which you longed for all your life, be blessed. May the garment of martyrdom, worn on a body bearing the marks of your mother Fatimah al-Zahra (SA), your grandfather Aba Abdullah al-Hussein (AS), and Aba al-Fadl al-Abbas (AS), be blessed.”
Addressing the companions, he added: “And you, his oppressed companions, who were caught by surprise in the enemy’s assault and achieved martyrdom—blessed are you, for you are now guests of that Master whose kindness and grace you had perhaps experienced many times before. That Master, who is the door of divine mercy for all, and especially for the people of this land, is now your host, and His secure sanctuary has become your home.” 
He expressed hope that the martyred Leader would be among the “Siddiqeen, martyrs, and righteous” who will accompany Imam Mahdi (AS) upon his reappearance.
“We hope that our martyred Leader will
 be one of them, and once again present brilliant and pure scenes of struggle and loyalty to the covenant of Alast.”
“O compassionate Master, we entrust our leader, who spent everything he had in your path, and his martyred companions, to you and to your grace and favor, so that just as they benefited from your favor in their worldly lives, from now on they may enjoy it even more and in greater abundance,” he said.
Alast refers to the primordial covenant mentioned in the Quran (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:172), where God asks all of humanity before creation: “Alastu birabbikum?” (“Am I not your Lord?”), and they reply “Yes”.