TEHRAN — Seyed Ali Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic, calls for “justice and retribution for the death of Iran's martyred Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” saying officials must remain committed to pursuing those responsible.

Addressing a memorial ceremony in the shrine city of Qom on Friday evening, Khomeini said any official who failed to seek accountability for the Leader's death should "question his conscience," describing the issue as a national responsibility.

His remarks came as mourning ceremonies continued across Iran on Friday, with large crowds gathering in mosques, religious centers, public squares, and streets in cities and towns nationwide to commemorate the late Leader. Memorial services, recitations of the Quran, elegies, and public processions were held in numerous provinces, reflecting what organizers described as a nationwide display of grief and solidarity following the assassination of the Leader in the U.S.-Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28, in the early moments of the illegal war on Iran.

Referring to the recent war on Iran, Khomeini said Iran's foes had expected the Islamic Republic would collapse within days, arguing that the conflict instead demonstrated the resilience of the Iranian ruling system and its people. He added that the United States, Israel, and their political, military, and media capabilities had failed to achieve their objectives.

"No credible scholar or research center" could conclude that Washington had emerged victorious from the confrontation, he added.

Ali Khomeini also criticized anti-revolution groups abroad, saying they had relied on foreign intervention and military action by the United States and Israel to bring about political change in Iran. 

The failure of those efforts deprived the opposition of its remaining political credibility, he commented.

Noting that “the fear of war is more dangerous than war itself,” he said Iran neither initiated the conflict nor seeks war, but would not retreat in the face of aggression.

Pointing to diplomacy within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) mediated by Pakistan, Khomeini said any future negotiations with the United States should not be interpreted as “reconciliation,” arguing that negotiations represent "another arena of confrontation" rather than a departure from the Islamic Republic's principles. 

The recent events have deepened hostility between Iran and the United States, he remarked, noting that Iranians would not forget crimes committed against their country.

The memorial ceremony in Qom was one of dozens of events held across Iran on Friday as the country continued observing a period of national mourning for its late Leader, with religious scholars, government officials, and the public paying tribute and renewing pledges to uphold his legacy.

People in the cities of Rey, Mashhad, Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz, and other cities across the country gathered in Friday prayer halls (Mosallas) to mourn and demand revenge for the assassination of the Leader.

The Policymaking Council of Friday Prayer Imams announced that Friday prayers, beginning on July 10, would be dedicated to commemorating the martyred Leader and other martyrs of the Resistance Front, renewing calls for accountability, and demanding justice for those responsible for their assassinations.

Friday prayers across the country were held under the title "Friday of Revenge," and worshippers chanted slogans of revenge.

On Friday, a large crowd gathered in Imam Hussein (AS) Square in downtown Tehran to mourn. In Mashhad, northeastern Iran, citizens observed Sham-e-Ghariban (the Night of the Oppressed) to commemorate the memory of the Leader and his family members.

The gatherings followed the massive turnout witnessed during the funeral processions and burial ceremonies for the Leader and his kin, who were assassinated along with the Leader.