Iran's Revolutionary Guard Chief Demands Revenge After Khamenei's Burial
Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, issued a deadly revenge warning to the United States on Friday, hours after the burial of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was killed in a joint Israeli-US airstrike on his compound on February 28, marking the beginning of a broader conflict.
Vahidi demanded his troops avenge Khamenei, declaring: "The full realisation of justice and a fitting response to the criminals, especially the child-killing American army. The criminal leaders of America and all enemies of the Islamic Revolution and the Resistance Front must know that by the cowardly assassination of this divine leader they will never … bring the flag of resistance to the ground." He added that "avenging the martyrs and the punishment of the perpetrators … will remain a definitive, legitimate, and an unforgettable demand."
Uneasy Calm Amid Fears of Escalation
Despite an uneasy peace that settled over the Middle East on Friday, fears remain that Iran may escalate tensions by threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The past week saw Tehran's regime oversee a procession of mourning in Iran and neighbouring Iraq for Khamenei, who ruled with brutal oppression for decades. Two days of brutal missile attacks by both sides were triggered by Iran attacking three oil and gas vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The ships had taken a route close to the Omani coast, avoiding the route pushed by the Tehran regime closer to the Iranian coast.
Israeli Intelligence Claims Iran Plot to Assassinate Donald Trump
Vahidi's chilling outburst came as it emerged that Israeli intelligence claimed Iran had a specific plan to assassinate US President Donald Trump. There had been talk of an assassination of Trump back in 2020 when he boasted the US had killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani during his first term. It is possible Israel's new assassination plot allegation led to Trump leaving the recent NATO conference in Turkey using an older plane, not the new Air Force One. The renewed threat to Trump emerged as it was revealed the US has hit 180 Iranian targets in just 48 hours of renewed strikes this week.
US and Iran Exchange Strikes
Iran has lashed out with attacks on Gulf States and Jordan, specifically targeting US bases and putting Israel on high alert. There have been explosions inside Iran on Friday, but the US has thus far denied involvement. This could indicate pre-emptive strikes by Israel, but there has been no confirmation. Khamenei's death, aged 86, resulted from years of planning and intelligence gathering by Israeli Mossad and the US CIA spy agencies. Mossad had for years built up a detailed pattern-of-life picture on Khamenei's movements, although it is not clear if it was a US or Israeli missile that killed him. The joint operation also killed members of Khamenei's family, and as many as 40 senior Tehran leaders died in attacks on the capital in the opening seconds of the war.
Decapitation of Iranian Leadership
Simultaneous strikes throughout Tehran decapitated the Iranian leadership, but Iran had planned for this. Command of sectors of the military was devolved all over the country, meaning individual groups could operate independently, both clamping down on dissidents, hunting down spies, and firing missiles at neighbouring states, Israel, and US forces.
