US President Donald Trump tells Axios that Washington has the capability to “take them all out” in a single strike, referring to senior Iranian officials attending the week-long state funeral for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the same remarks, Trump says the US does not plan such an action because it wants to keep diplomatic channels open with Tehran, arguing that otherwise it would have “nobody to negotiate with.” Trump also questions the authenticity of public mourning, saying he believed Iranians “hated” Khamenei and wondering whether grief shown during the ceremonies is “fake tears.” Iran’s government rejects the comments. The Iranian Embassy in Armenia posts a sharp rebuttal on X, saying the US lacks “civilisation, history, or honour,” and arguing that while individuals can be killed, ideals endure. Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, does not attend his father’s funeral due to security concerns cited by an Iranian representative. Separate Iranian statements warn Washington and Israel against any attack on Iran’s ruling hierarchy, while the funeral procession proceeds through Tehran and other locations, ending with burial in Mashhad on July 9.
Trump says US could eliminate Iran’s leadership “with one shot” during Khamenei funeral
US President Donald Trump tells Axios that Washington has the capability to “take them all out” in a single strike, referring to senior Iranian officials attending the week-long state funeral for form...
- Trump says the US could eliminate Iran’s leadership gathered at Ali Khamenei’s funeral in a single strike.
- Trump says the US does not plan such action because it wants to keep diplomatic channels open with Tehran.
- Trump questions whether public mourning at the funeral is genuine, saying he thought Iranians hated Khamenei.
- Iran’s embassy in Armenia condemns the remarks, saying the US lacks “civilisation, history, or honour.”
- Iran’s funeral ceremonies continue as a week-long procession, ending with burial in Mashhad on July 9.
Calls for the assassination of US President Donald Trump echoed through funeral ceremonies for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday, as a speaker addressing tens of thousands of mourners described killing the US leader as a "duty" and urged supporters to "never abandon" revenge. The remarks came during Iran's ongoing state funeral, which has increasingly become a platform for anti-US messaging and political defiance."'Trump's Assassination Is Our Duty,' Speaker Declares"A video circulating from the funeral ceremonies shows a speaker addressing a massive crowd gathered to mourn former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, delivering an inflammatory speech directed at US President Donald Trump.Calls to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump were heard before tens of thousands attending funeral events for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, as one speaker declared, “Why should we not kill the man who killed my imam?” before adding, “Trump’s assassination is our… pic.twitter.com/FUa0gAeHjZ— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 5, 2026 "Why should we not kill the man who killed my imam?" the speaker asked before telling the crowd, "Trump's assassination is our duty. Never abandon your revenge."The remarks were met amid a gathering of tens of thousands attending the state funeral, with anti-US slogans and banners also visible during the ceremonies.Funeral Becomes Platform For Political MessagingWhat began as a week-long national mourning ceremony has also evolved into a highly symbolic political event, with Iranian authorities projecting the funeral as a display of unity, resilience and resistance following Khamenei's death.Alongside traditional Shiite mourning rituals, speeches and public messaging have increasingly focused on condemning the United States and Israel, reflecting heightened tensions in the region.The ceremony has featured slogans, banners and speeches calling for retaliation, reinforcing the government's narrative following the killing of Iran's longtime leader.Week-Long Funeral Continues Across Multiple CitiesKhamenei's body is currently lying in state in Tehran, where thousands of mourners, senior officials and foreign dignitaries continue to pay their final respects. The former Supreme Leader was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran compound on February 28. His funeral procession is scheduled to continue through Tehran, Qom, Najaf and Karbala before his burial in Mashhad on July 9.Throughout the ceremonies, large crowds have been seen chanting slogans, weeping and participating in traditional Shiite mourning rituals, including rhythmic chest-beating and public lamentation.Iran Hits Back At Trump's 'One Shot' Comment During Khamenei Funeral, Calls US 'Without History Or Honour' Martyrdom Narrative Takes Centre StageBeyond its religious significance, the funeral has become a powerful symbol of national identity and defiance.Khamenei's coffins were placed on a white stepped platform beneath an ornate arch, surrounded by Iranian national flags and black mourning banners, highlighting both the religious solemnity and political symbolism of the occasion.Iranian authorities have framed the late leader's death as an act of martyrdom, with public mourning and remembrance presented as enduring expressions of resistance against what Tehran describes as external aggression.
1 hour agoIran has fiercely condemned US President Donald Trump's remarks about potentially eliminating its leadership, accusing America of lacking "civilisation, history, or honour." Trump's comments, made in an interview, questioned the sincerity of mourners at the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and suggested a swift strike could eliminate Iran's top officials. The funeral itself has drawn massive crowds, projected by Iran as a display of national unity and defiance.
2 hours agoIran on Sunday strongly criticised US President Donald Trump after he suggested that Washington could wipe out the country's top leadership gathered at former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's funeral "with one shot." Tehran condemned the remarks as provocative, saying Khamenei's death had only strengthened his legacy and accusing the United States of lacking the values needed to understand the public grief witnessed across Iran.The Iranian Embassy in Armenia issued a blistering response on X after Trump remarked that the United States could eliminate Iran's remaining leadership gathered at Khamenei's funeral in a single strike.Taking aim at both Trump and the United States, the embassy said the US having recently marked the 250th anniversary of its Independence on July 4 would never comprehend the scale of mourning in Iran because it "neither has a civilisation, history, nor honour."People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace. You don't understand these things because you have neither civilization, nor history, nor honor. https://t.co/TtWtNlzG3f— IRI Embassy in Armenia (@iraninyerevan) July 4, 2026 The statement defended the late Supreme Leader's legacy, declaring that while individuals may die, their beliefs endure."People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace," the embassy wrote, describing the massive turnout at the funeral as proof of Khamenei's enduring influence.Trump Questions Mourning, Says US Could Target Iran's LeadershipThe diplomatic exchange followed Trump's interview with Axios, in which he questioned the authenticity of the public mourning for Khamenei."I thought people hated Khamenei. Maybe it's fake tears," Trump said after seeing images of thousands attending the funeral in Tehran.The US President went on to claim that the entire Iranian leadership was gathered in one place and could be eliminated if Washington chose to do so. However, he said the United States had refrained from such action because it wanted to keep diplomatic channels with Tehran open."They are all there. One shot, and we can take them all out. But we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with," Trump was quoted as saying.Funeral Draws Massive Crowds Across IranKhamenei's body is currently lying in state in Tehran as thousands of mourners, government officials and foreign dignitaries continue to pay their last respects.The former Supreme Leader was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. His funeral has been planned as a week-long procession passing through Tehran, Qom, Najaf and Karbala before his burial in Mashhad on July 9.Large crowds have gathered throughout the ceremonies, with mourners chanting slogans, weeping openly and performing traditional Shiite rituals, including rhythmic chest-beating and public lamentation.Ceremony Becomes A Political SymbolBeyond its religious significance, the funeral has evolved into a carefully choreographed display of national unity and defiance amid ongoing regional tensions.'Death To America': Iranians Chant During Farewell Ceremony For Late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei | VIDEO Khamenei's coffins were placed on a white stepped platform beneath an ornate arch, surrounded by Iranian national flags and black mourning banners, underscoring both the religious solemnity and political symbolism of the event.Iranian authorities have projected the funeral as a demonstration of resilience following Khamenei's death, while the ceremonies have reinforced the Shiite concept of martyrdom, where public mourning and remembrance are viewed as enduring acts of resistance against perceived external aggression.
4 hours agoWashington: US President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington has the capability to liquidate the surviving Iranian leadership with "one shot" if it desired, pointing to the congregation of top Iranian officials attending the week-long state funeral for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who lost his life in joint US-Israeli air strikes on February 28.The US President, however, noted that Washington is not prepared to take such a step, maintaining that it intends to keep the diplomatic channels open with Tehran."They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with," Trump said in an interview with Axios.Meanwhile, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will not be attending the funeral ceremonies of his father, Ali Khamenei, due to severe security concerns, his representative in India told ANI.Ayatollah Hakim Elahi stated that persistent Israeli threats and heightened surveillance risks would render Mojtaba's public attendance "dangerous."During his conversation with the news portal, Trump also voiced astonishment at the sight of Iranians weeping at the funeral procession, stating that he was under the impression that the public hated Ali Khamenei."Maybe it's fake tears," he remarked.The comments drew a sharp rebuke from the Iranian embassy in Armenia, which posted a stinging response on the social media platform X."You don't understand these things because you have neither civilisation, nor history, nor honour," the embassy stated.Previously, in the run-up to the Independence Day celebrations, the US President had taken a swipe at Tehran over the security situation."We knocked the hell out of Iran. They're dying to settle. They want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral because we're nice," Trump said.Prior to the start of the state funeral ceremony, a senior Iranian military commander had issued a stern warning to both Washington and Tel Aviv against executing any military operations targeting the Islamic Republic."We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the US and the Zionist regime (Israel), to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country," Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated in an official release broadcast by Iranian state media.The funeral processions for Khamenei commenced on Friday, July 3, in the capital city of Tehran, with further ceremonial events scheduled to take place in the holy city of Qom as well as in neighbouring Iraq.The state ceremonies are slated to end on July 9, with the final burial taking place in his north-eastern hometown of Mashhad.Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had sounded a similar note of warning, affirming that Tehran would initiate an instantaneous and robust response to any threat directed at its populace or its ruling hierarchy.The statement followed high-profile comments from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, who publicly declared that Iran's incoming Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was "marked for death".
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