Tehran: Following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, senior Iranian officials issued sharply worded statements vowing resilience and retaliation against what they described as hostile foreign powers. Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a prominent political figure, addressed the nation shortly after the announcement. In a defiant message directed at what he called Iran’s “aggressive enemies,” Larijani said, “You have burned the hearts of the Iranian people, we will burn your hearts,” signaling a hardening of Tehran’s stance amid escalating tensions.

According to National News Agency – Lebanon, Larijani emphasized that the Iranian people had stood united in the face of external pressure and conflict. “The Iranian nation stood firm against efforts to divide their homeland,” he said, portraying the country’s response as one of national solidarity and resistance.

Referring to what officials described as a 12-day conflict, Larijani characterized the confrontation as a test of Iran’s resolve. “Throughout the 12-day war, the adversaries came up against a formidable bastion of civilization,” he stated, framing the struggle as both a military and cultural defense of the nation.