Iran Threatens U.S., Israel Ahead of Khamenei State Funeral; Warns Tankers in Hormuz

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Iran’s military command warned the United States and Israel on Thursday against launching any new attack as the Islamic Republic prepares a massive state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes on February 28 at the opening of the war.

Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Iran’s enemies should avoid “miscalculation,” warning that any threat or aggression would be met with harsh retaliation by the country’s armed forces, according to Iranian state media.

Funeral processions for Khamenei are scheduled to begin Saturday in Tehran, where his body will lie in state at the Grand Mosalla complex, and conclude July 9 with burial in his hometown of Mashhad. Additional ceremonies are planned in Qom and Iraq. Iranian officials said the events could draw 15 to 20 million mourners, potentially making it the largest state funeral in the country’s history.

Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged Tehran residents to turn out in large numbers, saying the nation’s “call for vengeance” must be heard around the world. Public and private offices in Tehran will be closed from Saturday through Monday, while authorities have announced major traffic restrictions and temporary airspace controls over several cities, including Tehran and Mashhad.

The funeral comes as uncertainty surrounds Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s son and successor, who was reportedly injured in the same strike that killed his father and has not been publicly seen since taking office. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently warned that Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death,” prompting Tehran to threaten an immediate response to any strike on its leadership.

Tensions also escalated Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s joint military command warned that oil tankers must use Tehran-approved routes or face a “forceful response.” The warning followed U.S. Central Command remarks emphasizing the free flow of commerce through the strategic waterway, a phrase that appeared to anger Iranian officials.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes, has become a central point of friction in talks aimed at reaching a permanent end to the Iran war. Under an interim arrangement, vessels were allowed to pass without fees for 60 days, though Tehran has insisted it must control routes and later charge passage fees — a demand opposed by the United States and several Gulf Arab states.

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