Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: Retaliation is inevitable

Revenge is the desire of our nation and must certainly take place. Soon, free people throughout the world will each carry out a part of this divine mission. To our martyred leader, I say: O wronged victim! O dignified oppressed one! O righteous servant of God! Now that we bid farewell to your body with tearful eyes and broken hearts, we make a covenant with you that we will preserve your school of thought and steadfastly walk the straight path that you charted, and will not fear hardships in this way, and like you will set our hearts on God's glad tidings and divine promises. We covenant that we will avenge the pure blood of you and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced perpetrators. This revenge is the desire of our nation and must certainly take place.

• These criminals, whose list exists from beginning to end, will take with them to the grave their wish for a peaceful death in bed.
• They must know that this matter does not depend on my existence or that of other officials.
• Whether we exist or not, this will be realized, and soon individuals among free people throughout the world will each carry out a part of this divine mission.. Excerpt from the message of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution on the occasion of the funeral and burial of the Martyred Sir of Iran | 18 Tir 1405