06/07/2026
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06/07/2026
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TEHRAN / JERUSALEM, July 6: Hardline newspapers in Iran have called for retaliation following the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, demanding that those responsible be hunted down as funeral ceremonies continue across the country.
The strongest calls came from ultraconservative publications aligned with Iran's hardline political factions, reflecting growing pressure on the country's leadership to respond.
The newspaper Asr-e Iranian (Age of Iranians), which is close to the Paydari Party, dedicated its front page to the slogan "Blood for blood," declaring that avenging Khamenei's death was both "the right of the people and the duty of officials."
Another hardline daily, Nobonyad (Nascent), echoed the sentiment with a front-page headline asking, "Why shouldn't we kill the one who killed our leader?"
The inflammatory headlines come as thousands of mourners continue attending funeral ceremonies for Khamenei, whose death has dramatically heightened tensions across the Middle East. Iranian authorities have not officially announced any military response, but the rhetoric in conservative media reflects increasing demands for retaliation.
Meanwhile, an Israeli media report has claimed that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has established a new covert unit tasked with targeting senior US officials.
According to Israel's Channel 14, intelligence indicates that the IRGC's Quds Force has created a unit known as "Mukhtar", allegedly responsible for planning assassination operations against US officials, including President Donald Trump.
The report further claimed that the unit is working with Mexican drug cartels and some Iranians living abroad to facilitate potential attacks.
Channel 14 did not disclose the source of the alleged intelligence or provide evidence supporting the claims. Iranian authorities have not commented publicly on the report.
The developments come amid soaring regional tensions following Khamenei's death, with concerns growing that calls for revenge inside Iran could further escalate the already volatile security situation in the Middle East.
