Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned of “divine wrath” if Tehran does not retaliate against Israel following the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh.
In a speech on Wednesday, Khamenei asserted that any failure to retaliate—whether through military, political, or economic means—would invoke “divine wrath,” as described in the Holy Quran, Iran International reported.
He condemned what he termed “enemy psychological warfare” aimed at deterring Iran from responding to Israel.
“Governments that yield to the demands of today’s dominant powers, regardless of the size or strength of the nations they represent, could defy these pressures if they draw on the strength of their people and accurately assess their adversaries’ true, unembellished capabilities,” Khamenei stated.
The assassination of Haniyeh last month in Tehran, which happened during the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president, has heightened tensions between the two nations. Haniyeh had boasted of his freedom of movement in Tehran shortly before his death.
Khamenei also criticised the exaggeration of enemy capabilities by the US, UK, and Israel as a means to instill fear, citing this as a recurring tactic since Iran’s 1979 Islamic revolution.
Despite employing psychological tactics and threatening retaliation, Iran has yet to take action. Some speculate that the Iranian government is cautious about escalating the conflict but uses the threat of an attack to seek concessions from the US, which is committed to preventing a wider conflict, reported Iran International.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden noted that a ceasefire in Gaza could deter Iran from retaliating and allow Hamas to regroup.
Western leaders have urged Iran to exercise restraint to avoid escalating regional tensions and to facilitate the release of over 100 hostages held by Hamas. Iran has dismissed these warnings as “illogical and excessive,” asserting its right to retaliate without external permission.
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has publicly supported Khamenei’s stance on retaliation but is rumored to have privately expressed concerns about the consequences of further escalation.
Iran’s President has acknowledged that war is undesirable but affirmed the right to “punitive responses against an aggressor,” as per Islamic Republic News Agency.
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