Khamenei’s eldest son leads funeral prayers before Mashhad burial

Exiled Iranian prince Reza Pahlavi on Thursday marked six months since the January 8–9 protests, urging the international community not to let negotiations with Tehran overshadow the killing of tens of thousands of demonstrators.

He also argued that a free Iran would end the nuclear threat and secure lasting peace in the region.

Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani’s office said the 101-year-old Shiite cleric was unable to attend the funeral prayer for slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, despite earlier reports that he would lead the prayer.

The office said his attendance had been considered, but health concerns, the long distance and lack of necessary travel arrangements made it impossible for him to attend.

Iranian state television had earlier said the funeral procession would conclude in Mashhad with a funeral prayer led by Nouri Hamedani, a senior Shiite marja known for his hardline views and close alignment with the Islamic Republic’s political establishment.

The office said it had informed organizers days before the ceremony that Nouri Hamedani could not attend, but reports of his presence continued to circulate in some media until the final hours, causing confusion.

The funeral ceremonies have also drawn attention to the continued absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named successor to his father but has not appeared in public since his appointment, with no audio message from him released.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday the military was “alert and prepared for the resumption of the campaign” in Iran and ready to carry out “blue-and-white” (independent Israeli) strikes there “even for a third time.”

“If we need to return, we will return with even greater force,” Katz said.

Katz said the military was prepared to “regain air superiority” in Iran and carry out strikes to remove threats.

Katz said he had warned former supreme leader Ali Khamenei that Israel’s “long arm” would reach Iran if it tried to harm Israel.

“Exactly a year ago, I sent a direct message to the dictator Ali Khamenei and the group of ayatollahs in Iran, that Israel’s long arm will catch up with them in Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and wherever if they try to harm Israel,” Katz said.

“About four months ago, we returned to operating in the skies of Iran; we eliminated many of the regime’s seniors, and in the historic opening blow of Operation Roaring Lion, we eliminated Ali Khamenei and severely wounded his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons “with or without a deal.”

“The skies of the Middle East have seen unprecedented activity over the past year — and in particular the two successful operations we launched against Iran. If we had not acted, Iran would have armed itself with nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said.

“The Iranian terrorist regime has suffered a very severe blow — and our policy is clear: with or without a deal — Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he added.

Netanyahu said Israel’s military was prepared for any scenario and that preserving air superiority was a fundamental pillar of national security.

“We are promoting a policy of weapons independence, and equipping the pilots with the most tools,” he said.

Netanyahu also pointed to operations carried out with the United States against Iran, saying they had averted “a threat of immediate annihilation, and also a danger to the entire Western world.”

“Our pilots carried out thousands of sorties and attacks. They landed a powerful opening blow on Iran,” he added.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council in separate statements on Thursday condemned Iran’s attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan and warned against threats to regional security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the attacks violated the sovereignty of “brotherly countries” and called for an immediate halt to all Iranian attacks on countries in the region.

In a separate statement, the GCC called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain open, rejected any unilateral arrangements and urged guarantees for freedom of navigation without tolls or passage fees.

The council said Iran bore full responsibility for the attacks and that any attack on one GCC member state was a direct attack on all.