Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said Thursday that revenge for the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei must be the liberation of Jerusalem, according to a single source. Ghalibaf also vowed Iran will never allow IAEA access to bombed nuclear sites and asserted that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding proves America was defeated.
In a statement published Thursday afternoon, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf escalated his rhetoric by not only reiterating that revenge for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei must be the liberation of Jerusalem, but also adding two concrete new demands: Iran will never permit IAEA inspectors to visit nuclear sites bombed in recent months, and the recently signed US-Iran memorandum of understanding in Islamabad is a document proving America's defeat. This marks a shift from earlier Thursday-morning calls for mass funeral attendance and blood revenge (first reported by The Zioneer at 10:24 Jerusalem, then again at 11:54 Jerusalem framing revenge as Jerusalem's liberation and preserving Lebanon) to explicit policy positions on nuclear inspections and the diplomatic deal.
This update follows a rapid succession of statements from Ghalibaf since the killing of Khamenei. At 10:24 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported multiple versions of his calls for mass funeral turnout demanding blood revenge, and a warning alongside an Iranian emergency command general directed at the US and Israel against miscalculation. By 11:54 Jerusalem, Ghalibaf had specified that the true revenge was Jerusalem's liberation and preserving Lebanon — a theme he now returns to with added nuclear and diplomatic dimensions. All statements to date rely on a single source (Abu Ali Express, per earlier reports) and remain unconfirmed by additional outlets.
As The Zioneer reported on June 25, Ghalibaf acknowledged over 3,000 dead and 30,000 wounded, the destruction of critical infrastructure, and the killing of the Supreme Leader — while still describing the Islamabad MOU as a 'declaration of defeat' for the US. He also appealed to Gulf states for reconstruction investment. The desk has also previously documented Ghalibaf's pattern of hardline remarks: on June 18 (09:53 Jerusalem) he warned that 'our fingers are on the trigger,' and on June 23 he accused the Zionist regime of opposing negotiations and warned of 'annihilation' if no ceasefire is reached.
The statement claiming Iran will bar IAEA access to bombed nuclear sites is new and unverified by any secondary source; it is not clear whether this reflects official policy or is rhetorical. The assertion that the MOU proves America's defeat also remains a single-source claim.
7 developments
- DevelopingIranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf calls for liberation of Jerusalem, ties it to Lebanon ceasefire
- StrongGhalibaf urges Iranians to 'flood' Khamenei's funeral, demands 'blood revenge'
- DevelopingIranian Speaker Ghalibaf admits 3,000+ dead in 'unprecedented destruction' while claiming victory
- StrongIranian parliament speaker Ghalibaf: 'Whoever opens fire will bear the consequences'
Source and signal
- Internal intake