The months-long war-like atmosphere in the Middle East has escalated further after Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge for the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a joint US-Israel airstrike on Tehran on February 28. Following days of funeral processions, Ali Khamenei was buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad on July 9. In a message on Telegram, Mojtaba declared that avenging his father’s death, along with that of all Iranian and IraqiGu martyrs, was a nationwide demand, stressing this was not his decision alone but the collective will of Iran, and warning enemies of irreversible consequences. Notably, Mojtaba has not appeared publicly since being seriously injured in the February 28 strike, and he also missed his father’s funeral prayers for security reasons.
US President Donald Trump reacted sharply to Iran’s threats, warning that any attack by the new leadership or Iranian forces on American interests or troops would trigger an unprecedented, massive response. White House sources said US naval forces and fighter jets stationed in the Gulf were ready to strike at any moment, and that Iran would face severe consequences for any misadventure.
Despite the tense atmosphere, back-channel diplomatic efforts are actively underway to de-escalate tensions. Iranian representatives began secret talks with US officials in Oman on Saturday to contain the conflict in the Persian Gulf. International media reported that Iranian diplomats explained to US advisors that recent attacks on international oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz occurred due to a mistake, allegedly carried out by hardline elements within Iran seeking to sabotage ongoing diplomatic talks with the US.
With hostilities continuing for the past four months, both sides are exploring peace under the 60-day ceasefire agreement reached in mid-June, focusing primarily on restoring security in the Strait of Hormuz, crucial to global oil supply. Trump remarked that the US had two paths — a peace agreement with Iran or a permanent resolution — and that the door for diplomatic talks remained open. As signs emerge that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) under Mojtaba’s leadership are preparing for retaliation, uncertainty over the outcome of the Oman talks has left the world watching anxiously, amid fears that failed diplomacy could plunge the Gulf region into another major war