International
oi-Ashish Rana
In the midst of the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, US President Donald Trump has made new comments regarding Iran, stating he was surprised to witness the large numbers of people who were grieving for the late leader. Trump has indicated that he is not confident of the authenticity of the scenes from the funeral and is doubtful that many Iranians would “hate” Khamenei.
Trump Claims Iran’s Leadership Could Be Targeted
During the interview with Axios, Trump added that he believes the rest of the Iranian leadership can be wiped out with a single strike, but that the US wouldn’t do that and would not leave “no one to negotiate.”
“They are all there. One shot and we can take them all out, but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with…They are begging to make a deal,” Trump told Axios.
He also claimed that both Washington and Tehran had agreed to pause negotiations for a week until the funeral ceremonies conclude. According to Trump, neither side would launch attacks during this period.
Trump Reacts To Funeral Crowds
Reacting to visuals of millions of Iranians attending the funeral processions, Trump said he was surprised by the public display of grief. Footage from Saturday showed Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi becoming emotional during the farewell ceremony.
Responding to the scenes, Trump remarked:
“Maybe it’s fake tears,” he said.
He added that he had expected many Iranians to dislike the former Supreme Leader rather than mourn him.
Funeral Ceremonies Continue Across Iran
On February 28, Ali Khamenei, who ruled over Iran for 36 years, was killed following the US and Israel invaded Iran and sparked a broader war in the Middle East. Islamic tradition dictates that the bodies be buried within 24 hours but due to the prevailing situation of conflict, the burial was delayed.
Iran started the funeral ceremonies on July 4th, which is the 250th anniversary of founding the United States of America. The ceremonies involve religious activities this time in the holy city of Qom on July 7 and will go to the end with the burial of Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9.
The funeral has drawn millions of people onto the streets, making it one of the most closely watched international events in recent days.
Trump Says US ‘Gave Iran A Week Off’
Earlier, Trump had also said the United States had allowed Iran a temporary pause during the funeral period.
“We beat Venezuela in one day, and we knocked the hell out of Iran; they’re dying to settle. They want to settle so badly. We gave him a week off for a funeral because we’re nice,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader, is unlikely to attend his father’s funeral due to security concerns. According to Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, who represents him in India, Israeli threats and surveillance risks have made Mojtaba’s public appearance “dangerous”, ANI reported.
