Iran Warns U.S. of ‘Severe Retaliation’ if It Targets New Supreme Leader

TEHRAN — Iran’s ambassador to Russia warned the United States on Friday that any effort to target the country’s new supreme leader could trigger “severe retaliation,” as fighting between Iran, the U.S., and Israel entered a second week with mounting casualties and regional tension.

In an interview with Russia’s Sputnik news agency, Kazem Jalali, Iran’s ambassador in Moscow, said Iranians are demanding revenge following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation that helped propel the Middle East crisis into open conflict.

“The people are angry and demand revenge for the bloodshed,” Jalali said, adding that Washington “has faced and will face severe retaliation in the future” if it continues to pursue military action against Tehran’s leadership.

His comments reflect deepening animosity following nearly two weeks of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targets, which have killed thousands of Iranians — including high‑ranking officials and civilians — and severely damaged infrastructure across the country.

On March 8, Iran’s ruling clerics named Mojtaba Khamenei as the nation’s new supreme leader after the death of his father, a development that has further hardened Tehran’s stance in the conflict. Mojtaba Khamenei has been reported wounded and has not appeared publicly since assuming the role, though Iran insists he remains functioning as leader. 

The U.S. military campaign, launched in late February, has targeted thousands of sites inside Iran and resulted in significant losses on both sides. U.S. officials say they have deployed additional forces to the region in response to threats, and at least 11 American service members have died in the fighting.

The war has also reverberated beyond Iran’s borders, with missile and drone strikes reported in neighboring countries and global markets unsettled by disruptions in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil shipments. 

Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed to strike back at U.S. and allied targets in retaliation for attacks they describe as an assault on the country’s sovereignty and Islamic republic system.

GAROWE ONLINE