Ghalibaf urges Iranians to 'flood' Khamenei's funeral, demands 'blood revenge'

Funeral Mobilization and Rhetoric

Iranian state media and high-ranking officials have intensified their efforts to ensure a massive public turnout for the funeral of Ali Khamenei, scheduled to take place this weekend. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf specifically urged Iranians—including the youth and families of "martyrs"—to mass at the procession. According to material reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk, Ghalibaf stated that the nation must "sound to the world the cry of the people for revenge for his blood," asserting that the Iranian people would not remain silent in the face of the leader's elimination four months ago.

Military Warnings of 'Miscalculation'

Parallel to the civilian mobilization, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters—Iran's supreme unified military command—issued a formal warning to Israel and the United States. General Ali Abdollahi, commander of the regime's emergency headquarters, cautioned against any "miscalculation" during the funeral period. The command signaled that any perceived aggression or threat to Iranian territory during the ceremonies would be met with a "harsh and regrettable" response from the armed forces.

Succession and Security Context

The funeral events serve as a critical juncture for the consolidation of the new leadership under Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei. The procession is expected to culminate in the burial of the late leader in his hometown of Mashhad next Thursday. Security sources indicate that the regime is highly sensitive to potential disruptions during this transition, using the rhetoric of "national unity" and the threat of kinetic retaliation to maintain stability while navigating its most significant leadership change in decades.