Iran warns of strong response to any attack during Khamenei funeral

TEHRAN – Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters has warned that any military action by Israel or the United States during the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be met with what it described as a “very strong” response. In a statement, the military headquarters urged Iran’s opponents to carefully consider the consequences of any action during the funeral proceedings. According to the announced schedule, funeral prayers for Ayatollah Khamenei will be held in Tehran on Friday, with representatives from around 100 countries and several heads of state expected to attend. Following the ceremony, the body is scheduled to be taken from Tehran to Qom, then to Najaf and Karbala, before returning to Iran for burial in Mashhad. Officials expect more than 10 million people to participate in the funeral procession. Ahead of the funeral, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the death of Ayatollah Khamenei marks “not the end of a journey, but the beginning of a new chapter.” He said the late leader’s legacy and message would endure and stressed that Iran’s future depends on maintaining national unity. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told reporters that Iran appears willing to accept nearly all of Washington’s key conditions. He also claimed Iran’s inflation rate had reached 300 percent and said a newly installed Iranian radar system had recently been destroyed, adding that Iran no longer has operational radar systems. Trump also repeated his claim that he helped prevent a larger conflict between Pakistan and India, saying millions of lives were saved. He further commented on his relationship with Elon Musk and made remarks about US domestic politics and his popularity in Israel. Separately, Iranian state media reported that Iran has warned the United States against interfering in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian military instructed commercial vessels and oil tankers to follow designated Iranian