Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Dubai:

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah would be avenged and his path in fighting Israel would be continued by other militants.

“(Nasrallah) was not an individual. He was a path and a school of thought and the path will be continued,” Ayatollah Khamenei said in a statement read on state television in which he announced five days of mourning in Iran.

“The blood of the martyr shall not go unavenged,” he said.

Ayatollah Khamenei, in an earlier statement issued after the Israeli army said it had killed Nasrallah, said: “The fate of this region will be determined by the forces of resistance, with Hezbollah at the forefront,” state media reported.

After Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah’s death, Iranian media reported that General Abbas Nilforoushan, a deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, had died “next to Nasrallah” in the Israeli strikes on south Beirut on Friday. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed Nasrallah’s killing partly on the United States, which has long supplied Israel with advanced weapons.

“The Americans cannot deny their complicity with the Zionists,” Pezeshkian said in a statement carried by state media.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani vowed in a post on X that Nasrallah’s “path will be continued and his holy goal will be realised in the liberation of Jerusalem”.

Meanwhile, two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters that Ayatollah Khamenei has been transferred to a secure location inside the country with heightened security measures in place.

The sources said Iran was in constant contact with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other regional proxy groups to determine the next step after the killing of Nasrallah.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a warning against any form of retreat or compromise, invoking the concept of “divine wrath”. This comes in the wake of growing tensions between Iran and Israel following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, who was killed last month during an official visit to Tehran.

Khamenei’s remarks condemned what he described as “enemy psychological warfare” aimed at pressuring Iran to reconsider any plans for retaliation against Israel. The 86-year-old said that any retreat, whether it be military, political, or economic, would invite severe divine punishment.

Haniyeh’s death, which Tehran attributes to Israeli intelligence, has since placed Iran in a precarious position as it deliberates over the timing and nature of its response.

“Governments that yield to the demands of today’s dominant powers, regardless of their nation’s size or strength, can defy these pressures if they draw on the strength of their people and accurately assess their adversaries’ true capabilities,” Khamenei said, as quoted by Iran International. 

The Ayatollah also criticised the longstanding tendency to exaggerate the power of enemies, citing historical examples of US, British, and Israeli attempts to undermine Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Despite the heated rhetoric, Iran has refrained from immediate retaliation, a move seen by some analysts as a strategic pause. However, Iranian officials have dismissed Western calls for restraint, with the Foreign Ministry criticising Western nations for their perceived double standards. Iran has accused these nations of turning a blind eye to what he described as Israel’s “genocidal” actions in Gaza while expecting Iran to forgo its right to retaliate for Haniyeh’s killing.

Irann’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has publicly aligned himself with Khamenei’s hardline stance, although reports suggest he may have privately expressed concerns about the potential fallout from further escalation.

Israel has made it clear that any direct aggression from Tehran will be met with a forceful response. Israeli officials have reportedly warned both the US and European nations that an Iranian strike on Israeli territory would trigger a swift and decisive Israeli retaliation.

New Delhi:

As Masoud Pezeshkian emerges victorious from Iran’s presidential election, defeating hardliner Saeed Jalili, his presidency promises a shift towards more pragmatic and reformist policies. But how will Mr Pezeshkian’s presidency reshape Iran-India relations?

Mr Pezeshkian, a seasoned lawmaker and cardiac surgeon, has long supported both domestic and international reforms in Iran. His win is viewed as a call for change since it follows a general unhappiness with the hardline policies of his predecessors. But the dynamics of Iranian politics, where hardliners still control the majority and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei retains ultimate authority, will put Mr Pezeshkian’s ability to carry out his vision to the test.

READ | Iran Reformist Pezeshkian Defeats Hardliner Jalili In Presidential Polls

“Today, we are holding the second round of the presidential election. More than 700 polling centres are accepting the vote of Iranians. We hope that by tomorrow morning we will have a new president. There will be no changes in Iranian foreign policy and internal policy. Both discourses emphasise strengthening Iranian power internally and externally,” said Iran’s ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi.

India-Iran Ties

India and Iran have historically enjoyed strong economic ties. Under Pezeshkian’s presidency, these ties are likely to deepen.

The focus will be especially on the strategic Chabahar Port, a project to which India has already committed heavy investments. It is an important transit point for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. India has pledged $120 million for the development of the Shahid-Beheshti Port terminal and offered a $250 million credit line for infrastructure projects in Iran. Experts believe that Iran’s general foreign policy is unlikely to change whoever takes over next; modus operandi and details may, however, be different.

READ | Developing Chabahar Port “De-Risks” Commerce Between India, Eurasia: PM Modi

Iran is one of India’s key sources of crude oil. With Iran eyeing an increase in the exports of oil against the backdrop of ongoing Western sanctions, India could be looking at a reliable and arguably cheaper source of crude oil.

The Pezeshkian approach to regional security will be closely watched in New Delhi. His stand related to keeping up the Axis of Resistance” against Israel and strategic regional siding with forces against what he calls “the Zionist regime” could continue to impact India’s tightrope diplomacy in the region.

Another platform for close cooperation between India and Iran is the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multi-modal transportation route connecting India to Russia via Iran. This corridor increases connectivity in terms of trade and bilateral ties for regional stability.

Iran Elections

The presidential election in Iran takes place in the backdrop of former President Ebrahim Raisi passing away in a helicopter crash on May 19. The polls saw the lowest turnout of voters since the 1979 Islamic Revolution as only 39.92 per cent of eligible voters took part.

The Iranian government had predicted, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei forecasted a higher turnout. State television showed modest lines at polling centres, while online videos depicted empty polls and light traffic at some sites in the capital, Tehran, reportedly with a heavy security presence.

The elections were held amid heightened regional tensions. In April, for instance, Iran launched its first direct attack on Israel amid the latter’s ongoing aggression in Gaza. This was then followed by an intensification of attacks by militant groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Houthis of Yemen, both armed by Tehran. 

While Ayatollah Khamenei has the last word on state affairs, it remains to be seen if the Middle Eastern nation adopts a change in its foreign policy in light of recent events.