Israelin puolustusministeri Katz varoittaa Iranin tulevia johtajia:

Context of Khamenei's death

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28, 2026, on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. He died in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that targeted his compound in Tehran as part of Operation Epic Fury . Katz had previously acknowledged that Israel aimed to eliminate Khamenei during the conflict, telling Channel 13 in June 2025: "Our aim was to eliminate Khamenei — but we did not have a feasible opportunity" .

Funeral events and massive turnout in Tehran

Iran's funeral ceremonies began on July 4, 2026 — more than four months after Khamenei's death, delayed by the ongoing war and security concerns . The six-day procession runs through July 9 . Iranian officials estimate that between 12 and 20 million people will participate in ceremonies across Iran and Iraq .

On Monday, July 6, mourners dressed in black flooded Tehran for the main procession, with Khamenei's flag-draped coffin carried through the capital alongside coffins of family members also killed in the strikes .

Calls for revenge against U.S. and Israeli leaders

Crowds at the funeral chanted for the death of U.S. President Donald Trump and called for revenge against both the United States and Israel . An Iranian military commander had warned the U.S. and Israel against any attack during the funeral period .

Absence of Mojtaba Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei's son who was swiftly appointed as Iran's new Supreme Leader after his father's death, did not attend any of the public funeral ceremonies . His absence was widely noted as more striking than the presence of world leaders who did attend .

Reports indicate his absence was due to security concerns and fears of Israeli targeting. Iranian officials confirmed the decision was made because of credible threats, and Mojaaba's reported request to attend his father's burial was denied by Iran's security apparatus . Al Jazeera reported that his absence "fuels public insecurity" in Iran . Katz had previously threatened that Mojtaba Khamenei was "marked for death" .

Israeli plotting against Iranian negotiators amid U.S.-Iran peace talks

According to The New York Times (July 2, 2026), U.S. officials believed that Israel may have been plotting to assassinate Iran's top negotiators — including the country's foreign minister — while Washington was engaged in sensitive peace talks with Tehran this spring aimed at reaching an interim agreement . The report states that killing senior Iranian leaders had been part of Israel's strategy from the start of the conflict, and American concerns about Israeli targeting of negotiators were serious enough to become a point of tension between the U.S. and Israel . An interim U.S.-Iran agreement was ultimately signed in June 2026 , though follow-up talks in Doha continued without clear progress .

Katz's broader assertion on Israeli readiness

Beyond the specific threat to Iran's leadership, Katz has consistently asserted that Israel remains prepared to defend itself against any threat. He has stated that Israel's "long arm" can reach Iran with "even greater force" and that any leader who threatens Israel "cannot continue to exist" . This message was reinforced on Monday as he framed Khamenei's killing as a direct consequence of the late leader's aggressive actions against Israel .